NFL Week 1 red flags vs. green flags: biggest causes for concern & optimism feat. Sheil Kapadia

0:00On this episode of football three of one, she'll come potty up from the ringer joins me for some red flags and green flags week one takeaways that have us feeling if he We're feeling really positive and we also start the show with a Monday night football Broncos chiefs Recap Andy Reed Establishing the run. Let's go Kenneth Walker going off Very fun show with she'll see you guys in a sec in business. There's the easy way with staples or the hard way hard means Office opening Kevin find a cleaning supplies vendor break we need furniture Susan gets someone to deliver coffee move move move Easy means one vendor for all your workplace needs hard means Your break room delivery is confirmed great for Sunday. 5 a.m. Great Easy means next day delivery when and where you need it. Don't choose hard choose staples That was easy visit staples.com to learn more about our business solutions You Need something from lows, but your day is already jam packed since my lows rewards and my lows pro rewards members get free same day delivery

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2:10Play and win all season long. I am your host Nate ties. We got a great show for you guys today I did not do this on purpose. I did not wear red For this but we do have a theme today. We're looking at green flags and red flags for a NFL week one Takes or things that we're getting excited about or maybe maybe a little worried maybe a little concerned And to help me do that is my great friend from the ringer shield kapati. I great to see a shield. How you doing today? Great to see you good to be here I'm just going to take people behind the scenes right away, Nate and and let them know you you were taking some p.e.d Some podcasts enhancing drugs before the before the pod just pounding and espresso or whatever it was I love that we're in football guy podcasting mode right here One of my favorite memories of podcasting ever for being in media is when you and I worked at the athletic And we would have we had a gambling segment and Whoever if we what was it if we had a heavy bat like an all-in bat We had had to do a punishment if we didn't get it right and we had the same one

3:15Which was like a Dan Campbell line special or something or some sort we were early on the Dan Campbell stuff But we had the lose and then we had to have Dan Campbell's drink order which was It was uh Nitro cold brew with two shots of a espresso or something like that. I'm trying to remember what it was And I remember I was smelling colors And like I was just just just rocked me for that show and it's actually one of my favorite memories But I can't remember who was drink order is but I did it for the podcasting terms and yeah out of uh I don't know if you survived that or if that was just me heart fluttering not sleeping for a week Yeah, no, I think we both ordered it. I don't know what the order was it was crazy You drank the whole thing. I'm like I'm gonna take a sip of this but like I'm not crazy So yeah, that was that was a great memory for me too. I was I was like yeah, he's he's a big guy I can handle this. No, I couldn't handle it. No, no, no, no, I could not handle it Yeah, we're not be doing that. Well, I might I might need that today with my one-year-old not sleeping last night But anyways, who do it doesn't matter? We're gonna get to Monday night football takeaways before we get into those green and red flags

4:17And we might actually have some green and red flags from the game last night the chiefs win 31 to 10 Andy heard the noise Andy signed Kenneth Walker and established it he established the run He got Patrick Mahomes under center and he ran the rock all night long Kenneth Walker finishes with 23 attempts 191 total yards two total touchdowns the Chiefs running backs. I looked this up. I'm sure you have some stats because you're great at this finished with the second most yards by chiefs running backs since Patrick Mahomes in a single game such Patrick Mahomes took over a starter in 2018 They did it. That's what the offseason plan was. I'm gonna say this is kind of a green flag Because that's exactly what I was hoping they would do and they did it And also we have some Broncos offensive roughness. That's kind of red flag-ish But she'll take away from Monday night football and the chiefs pounding the ball all night long

5:17Yeah, you know Nate. This is like in March and April when teams are making their offseason moves Then we try to analyze them. I'm like all right. I understand you didn't have an explosive run game last year You can't just go sign a high price running back and give yourself an explosive run game That's not how it works in the NFL. It's about scheme It's about blocking. It's about offensive line. It's not about just going. Oh, you're just just gonna translate Well in week one, it's kind of just translate. Yeah, whoops. Maybe I don't know. I'm not gonna say I was totally wrong Let's see how it goes for the whole season But that basically worked exactly as they would have hoped it would have worked when they sketched out this plan to sign Kenneth Walker in the spring They had last year three total runs of 20 plus yards the entire freaking season And they had two from Kenneth Walker in the first game of the season So we can get into whether we think this is gonna last I feel like I'm a bit of an Andy Reid historian so we can discuss whether this is here to stay Or not, but in terms of how well week one could have gone for kind of this maybe new look chiefs offense with Patrick

6:23My home's coming off the injury It couldn't have gone much better. I think for Kansas City Yeah, there is you know theory, you know, it's like okay I like the idea of this, but then we'll see an action does Andy get bored That was always that was my worry throughout I was like he's gonna get bored with this He's gonna get bored with this here comes the quick game here comes some here comes the passing and it had a drive like that I'm not gonna lie there was one drive where it was like they just went away from it And then they're like okay, okay, screw that and then my home's through the pick and they're like okay, deflate the ball What's what's the flight to throw um yeah, but I really yeah, that's what you are kind of an Andy Reid historian and I think yes so much History out there. I mean decades of ball to look at with Brian Westbrook. We have Jamal Charles the Shah McCoy He's had some backs and he's had some really good run games. He's always just been pass heavy I've said this before but I remember when it was it was paid manning was first kind of going into the shotgun It was a big deal that over half of his snaps are in the shotgun back in the odds

7:23And then the other one was I remember how heavily passed you'd Andy Reid's Eagles offenses were in the in the odds And back then it was like 58 42, you know And it was whoa You know, no here we are, but it was good to see it kind of come back around and get to that did you were you Here we go. Did you have the chiefs as a playoff team? I'm going into this season I did I made a last second switch. I changed my mind on the aFC West roughly 700 times this summer And it got down to a point where it was about 10 days before the season and I'm like art I have to make predictions and I'm like if my life it was I got to a dark place name where I'm like if my life Depended on it who would I pick and so when I did that I'm like our chargers are out. I'm not cry. I want to live You know, I have kids. I'm not picking the chargers if my life depends on it And I got to the Broncos in the chiefs and I eventually landed on the chiefs At 11 and six so yes That could change but feeling good about that after after week one how about you you you had the chiefs in right

8:24I I can't remember if I had him as a seven seed or not I just kept saying like I like him as a seven seed. I just kept saying that I've no idea how I ended up as my playoff teams I I filled that form out like three weeks ago But I want to say I did but I don't think I did I did have the chargers as my aFC West winners and I am well We'll get to red flags in a little bit So I'll put it that way But no, I think proof of concept. This was exactly what I wanted to see the commitment to it Johnson look good as well the backup rookie running back who they also like in past protection Which is interesting as well, but he's got some juice He showed that in Nebraska and I thought you look good preseason and right now The whole line keel Benson which was had a good preseason, but he was at right guard And that's what worried me was like right guard the left tackles and I thought he looked fine. They had a good game plan for him You know, I think he only allowed one pressure some of that helps with some of the scheme that they did I thought my homes looked good as far as how he moved We'll see passing game wise once they don't get into those positive game script that's we'll see

9:29But again, this I think this team is gonna be aground it My homes make some magic on third down and then the red zone and then I'm really high in the defense and I wanted to get your thoughts on that I thought I started to buy into the defense as preseason went along Also looking, however, I'm like Mansor Delaan made a statement right away No Williams is very good and not just like oh, he's an interesting name. He's legitimately good Like that's why they can move on from McDuffy and Watson I like the safeties Peter Woods their other first round pick had a nice night all this or Mason Thomas Even FA you feel excited duke Yuzama had a nice day It's just like all these young guys actually again proof of concept it was like okay. This was theory Yeah, I can always say this so different doesn't always mean good But it was like no, this looks a lot better and all that has a trickle down effect where Chris Jones doesn't have to play 90% of the snaps he can actually just do and pick and choose his spots, but Maybe we can say that with the chief's defense or also say the red flag of what the Broncos offense

10:35So I'm gonna give you the floor of either chief's positivity on defense or maybe some Broncos worries and pessimism on their offense shield Yeah, I'll finish with the chase before we move on to the Broncos Because I think that's gonna be an in-depth conversation, but I felt like their defense You know was high variance coming into the season because so much dependent on like the last three drafts And are these moves gonna pay off or these guys gonna be good right away I'm always hesitant in the summer to just look at a rookie and be like oh, yeah They fix that they solve that problem because it's like you know what 40% of the time even if it's a first round pick that guy's never gonna be A quality starter let alone as a rookie, but um you're right man They they looked good last night and the the best sign was that those young players showed signs of life Right away, and I did have this thought and I want to get your your take on this if I'm an NFL owner It feels to me like one of the best ways to give your organization an edge is to get one of these veteran defensive coordinators

11:37Where you're just like this this person is gonna set the floor for my defense We might not be top five, but I can almost get any 11 players put them out there and we're gonna have a chance You see it with spags you see it with Vic Vantio you saw it with Brian Flores on Sunday and it's just like there's no salary cap on Coaches you could you could you could blow up the market you could be a disruptor and guess what it's gonna translate to wins For your football team and so I'm looking at spags I'm just like this is crazy. What are you doing? They broke up their entire secondary They're throwing young players out there and he comes out and it was like a 95th percentile game based on EPA or whatever So yeah, why don't more owners and organizations realize this I think O line coach and defensive coordinator If I were an NFL organization, I'd be just like let's go get the best person out there Will blow up the market will give him a couple million dollars more than anybody else And that's really gonna make a difference. I don't understand why teams don't do that

12:39I'm right there with you. Yeah, I trust me. I harp on O line coaches almost too much sometimes It matters when you're control of five guys on every single play You know that that that matters and more than that sometimes if you're evolving tight ends You're telling where they're running back to go But no, I agree with you in defense even guys like Jeff Ulbrich for the Falcons who not a big name defense coordinator Has a lot of reps calling plays with again Results with maybe a hot pod units that he's had whether you know the jets tenure was weird Sol once he got fired but before solid got fired But even with the Falcons last year so it's just like random names like that guys that actually have reps and good stuff that they to Patrick Graham with the Steelers again a guy that has never had me that top top unit But he's made a lot of chicken salad out of not chicken salad Like he has really done a lot of good stuff with bad units I'm right there with you and I mean this was the the the shamanic based stuff, you know hiring Wade Phillips

13:39You know or when he when he got that first job like son of bum like he was like just get a guy that I can overpay Him get a real long time vet We'll see what the bears with Dennis Allen they he doesn't have much to work with he doesn't really have the horses But again competence you know You know that what it should look like so then we can figure out okay All right, do we have the right personnel here? Do we have all that but all right Broncos offense Let's get to it. Let's get to it. This is a red flag for both of us Before we're gonna start with green flags, but this is a red flag I think one of the biggest red flags and maybe I waved it away with Sean Payton Benching himself as a play car He's never done that And He's this the first time he hasn't called plays when he's been on the sideline and probably what three decades 25 years something of that sort That's interesting maybe a buffer For things to come, you know, that's that's just a theory of mine But maybe why is this a red flag for you? I have some stats

14:39I'm sure you have some stats and we both probably have some observations But why is this a a red flag for you? Yeah, we can we we can start with the numbers just if you're like hey wasn't that bad? No, it was that bad It was 176 yards the fewest by the Broncos Under Sean Payton in any game tied for fewest first downs nine first downs Worst game under Sean Payton for the Broncos by EPA per drive Don't forget they had that Russell Wilson season to start out His 10 is 10 you're there It was where the Broncos Cold scheme Yes That was that is sure staying here that was like a third. Yeah, Thursday night And that was the one like al michael's almost quit on air And this was worse than that How about how about the blizzard how about the snow game in the playoffs with jerryts did him It was worse than that Nate by any statistical measure And so you have all those and here's what I come back to And I really want to hear your opinion on this as someone who has been around

15:42NFL coaches Your entire life because I thought this was one of the weirdest stories of the offseason that Sean listen Sean Payton Loves him some Sean Payton we can say that yes, and I can say that because I think he's a great coach I think he's one of the best coaches in the last 30 years So I'm not ripping a lot of it's earned But we can say his ego is something that has you know partially defined his career in the NFL Do you know he tried to trade up for Patrick Mahomes? Did you know he tried to trade up for Patrick Mahomes? Yeah, he had for Patrick Mahomes lad more was the guy all the way sorry sorry, but yeah, I can tell you Yeah, he has a way of getting his messaging out there. There's no doubt about it before a guy who is Established his career as one of the great offensive minds in the NFL In in a profession where all these guys are control freaks and egomaniacs my reporter and teni when I heard Oh, he's voluntarily giving up play calling duties to a 31 year old who has never done it before in a season where he's got

16:43Maybe the most talented roster in the NFL and got to the AFC championship last year It didn't smell right. It still doesn't smell right I still don't understand why this happened and we can all say it's one game Maybe Davis Web will have a great year calling place But I don't understand why this happened so when you're watching that game through that lens of like this still feels weird to me And then they come out and they lay an egg I think it is a red flag for this this Broncos organization and this Broncos offense I agree and I thought too was this is always a sign opening script great after opening script Not not even average like just horrid. I thought I thought there was times where it was just like you know When the old lines playing worse after that such a strength, you know that usually indicates Maybe they don't have answers as well like they weren't passing off games. It's the same old line These guys have so many reps together and also they're botching Games protections are not picking up

17:43Again, those are canary in the coal mines like those are that's kind of stuff that's like huh Why the it's a trickle down up top because that means the ideas are maybe not getting communicated clearly Or you know, just other things as well just like maybe the guys just don't feel confident with their calling And I just thought too it was when you see the quarterback bonix is he has happy feet, you know He's gonna he's gonna this is why I can't I can't get high on him for a guy that has so many reps at quarterback So many from college now into the NFL Just doesn't see the game very well. I don't think he's a great athlete and he's got a great arm But then again, he doesn't always use the arm. I am aware of the most touchdowns of 20 or more air Air yard stats But the thing is like that's that's kind of a you know Temp number as well He doesn't drive the ball over the middle of the field He's one of the guys that doesn't do that because he doesn't really see it well and anticipate it well You can even see it right here if you're watching the youtube show on his spray chart last night He that's the thing he is one of the lowest percentages of passes that go 10 or more air yards

18:45But then 20 or more air yards. He's up there But so it's that in between area that he does not attack and they didn't and I was like okay But they got waddle now another year in the system. So maybe we could start Nope more of the same and that again is when the staff's the same person else the same those are the Right that's alarm bells just going off in my head because it should look better Is it look more cohesive? This is the same I mean if you look like at the rr. Lads page There's no new names on this team and they just look so sloppy and nicks looks scatterbrained And here's my stats on nicks was under pressure last night Two for 10 for five yards and a pick Now that's what he finished up two for 10 for five yards in a pick That's not including the sassy took which are multiple usually doesn't take sacks I think he would he got sacked three times last night multiple fumbles And it's so funny because I just created a stat and true media of percentage of Sacks that turn into strip sacks I literally looked that up and he had like one of the best numbers in the last 10 years of like not when he gets hit

19:47He doesn't fumble because he's strong dude and he's fumbling multiple times Like so it's just like what what is going on like it was just like the whole bot all the variants just went bad on them After they had some good variants last year He had five dropbacks last night. We ended up scrambling and passing a core in next-gen stats Those went for zero yards So it's just yeah, it's it's not good. So the creation isn't there the instructor stuff isn't there And when the old line which should be does strengthen the team along with the dbs and the defense looks like that Yeah, that that's a big big big red flag for me. So I yeah That was that was scary. I mean that really was I I was one of the ones like wow Why is the over under for the Broncos only like I think it was nine and a half I was like man I think this is a double-digit win team and now I'm like huh Maybe I missed some of these warning signs Well, well your point about continuity is a great one that is the the hour-lapse page I looked up before the season they had 15 players on offense who played 300 snaps last year

20:48All 15 were back on the roster and the added jail in Waddle my friend Zach Burman at the athletic has had the I had this great theory years ago with offensive coordinators The words just like can answer this one question and you maybe you can tell if an offensive coordinators good or not If you're asking the question, why aren't they getting their best player the ball more They might not be a good Oc And if you're never asking that question They're probably a good Oc now. I'm not saying jail in Waddle is definitely like you know the I'm not putting him in like the Justin Jefferson category But you gave up a first round pick for that guy you had all off seasons to come up with a game plan for this game and figure out How to use him and by the way you do still have Sean Peyton there to figure that out And he has one catch for two yards on three targets in a game where you can't get anything going Offensively so um, yeah, you know, it's like it's like fun to do the Sean Peyton conspiracy theories You know is it like well he knew that the offense was gonna struggle to start the season and he wants to come in On the white horse in week five and be like all right I saved the season. I'm taking plate calling back or maybe he knew both nicks was gonna start the season with an ankle injury

21:52And I was like all right. I'll agree to this for now, but I'm taking it back I those are obviously like you know mostly a joke I know right that's the thing it's like half kidding, but it's half kidding It's just I really can't imagine like if I if I said to you right now What are the odds that Davis Webb is going to be the play caller on offense for the Denver Broncos for this entire season I mean, what what would you put those at right now and I Is like all right am I overreacting to one game or not, but what would you put those odds at? I'm minus 200 that he gets benched. Yeah, or he gets that's over Paying takes back over that's right to me Yeah, I'm putting it I'm trying to find where the by-week is you know the Thursday night game or something of that sort But I can see that's the sea ox or something you know let him Yeah, I mean they got the jags next week And jags are no joke like and the jags defense is extremely well game-planned and they had their number last year

22:55Like they and they'll bring some stuff so and then they got the Rams and then they got the 49ers who were doing some funk And then they got the chargers who are doing some funk. I'm gonna get to their defense. Don't you worry? And then see hawks and then Cardinals who do some funk like they got a lot of funk coming up actually now and looking at it Then the chiefs again and then they get the Panthers in November 8th and then they actually have their by-week right after that So maybe Sean Peyton No, maybe you have to next game to wait them long though, Nate. I don't know I don't know wait that long when you have this good of a roster and like you really have a chance this year You know because the whole idea to what you were saying earlier The whole idea was not that bow nicks can just put the franchise on his back The idea was that bow nicks with this roster with this defense in this environment with Sean Peyton calling place Can win a Super Bowl because Sam Donald one one last year Jalen Hertz won one the year before and I think bow nicks is Can be good enough to get his team to the Super Bowl in this specific environment But if that environment doesn't exist and the play color is not good and the offensive scheming is not good

24:00It's a whole different conversation for the Broncos. It's totally different It's like they're battling to get 500 and they have see what you said in this environment and now we just for them Just worth the aFC is right now. It's wide open Like so it's just get hot gets it a dance and get hot like and if you have the makeup But yeah also again talk about canary and coal mine stuff and just use a personnel is Right, I know I'm high on the guy But Jonah Coleman even in college in a preseason is a better pass protection back than RJ Harvey RJ Harvey's biggest weakness is details and and when I mean details It's hitting the right hole in the run game and he's poor in pass protection You're playing spags. Why is he out there? I'm passing down So again Details and I and I'll have some positivity about some other teams and I've talked about this like I was talking about You know, this can be one of my green flag spoilers is the Jags offense is little details of their use of personnel They play games when tendencies and again. This is the same staff and the same personnel So I don't know ma'am and also don't you want answers on bone hits to make sure we can extend him

25:03Like that's don't you want to make sure he could be a guy and they're kind of like messing with that All right, but we'll get okay. We'll move on to this. I know we're just piling on right now But still it was worrisome. It was really worrisome And also last little note on the other side the interception of my homes through Xavier Worthy's supposed to cross the safety space Uh, then and Xavier Worthy still has not made a guy miss in space as well when he has the ball in his hands But all right, I digress All right, let's get to some more positivity actually green flags This is things to get excited about encouraged by and that we already had one with the chiefs run game and their defense But she'll what was your first green flag from week one All right, so my first green flag is a guy I know you love and we've talked about before Caleb Williams in the Chicago Bears name and I know you talked about this earlier this week But I want to take people behind the curtain with like our jobs, you know our jobs are to have takes that doesn't mean like Come up with something crazy that's gonna draw it means like all right. What's something?

26:06I actually believe let me explain it. Let me defend it. Let me go on the record With it and so when you do that every year and week one. I don't know about you But I'll sit there and I'll go huh That I should have seen this coming. Why did I not like I want to redo? I want to move back a month and I watched Caleb Williams on Sunday And I just had some irresponsible thoughts where I'm just like He's so gifted that just pure talent like I was thinking of the most talented quarterbacks I've ever seen week. I don't know what your list is L way my homes I mean it broaders we can go we can go through a long list But I'm just like he can do everything those guys can do and when you I've never seen him get caught when he runs when he scrambles Um the touchdown throw to Cole commit Was unbelievable unbelievable and then I'm watching Ben Johnson and I'm just like this run game is phenomenal And look how hard every single player is playing on this offense the effort the physicality

27:07I have this step for you from 2000 to 2000 to 2024 Nate the Bears played 413 games in that span How many times do you think they had more than 500 yards 2000 to 2024 2000 to 413 games a 25 year span how many times do you think they had at least 500 yards Two means that one year with like ash it's right ash and genty like Jake colors the brand of martial offense maybe that that would be the one Yeah, I don't even know what the two games are but they were two they've done it twice already With Ben Johnson in 20 games so 413 games versus 20 games with Ben Johnson And so I was just watching Caleb Williams and the regret that I had was like Should I in August have just been like this guy's gonna win MVP this year and just take him a swing because It I know it's only one game and I'm still not sure about their defense So I don't know if they're gonna have the win total but man if you're a Bears fan this week you're just like

28:10Who has it better than us? This is the greatest to be able to watch this guy and this offense every week So that that's my first green flag here is that I've already kind of swung my opinion here On on that bears team and that bears offense and Caleb Williams specifically I know I that was kind of one my quasi ones in case we had the same ones I had like an extra just throw it in there but right there with you I You know the panthers defenses isn't gonna be great this year But it was still like again Everything sound the confidence the offense is playing with Ben Johnson like even going like So you got asked because they had that fill forked down on their own turf or own territory and they got asked and he's like well I liked it Okay, I love that all right Yeah, I was just like oh okay, all right But that's all you do sometimes is coach have conviction have conviction in what you're doing and saying and all that not not being wishy Washy and I mean that it was everything you wanted I the stats are incredible like 49% successory on 70 plays is no joke

29:11Like when you're racking up 30 something successful plays plus 10 explosives That is just that's insane like that is I at 4.21 points per drive like they scored on almost two thirds of their drives Like this is just insane stuff and the floor is so high with Ben Johnson in that run game And Deandre Swift who I was like is Eric be enemy that he have an influence on him because he had his best season last year Oh no it carried over he's hitting holes correctly Like he's one of the guys I've been more frustrated by as a pro now in the last calendar year I've been like Totally switched on him really enjoying how he runs calm and young guy was healthy had that big run The use of personnel Multitide and looks or 11 personnel everybody's doing the right like I brought this up is like when you're star players And when I say star I just mean they're they're guys call some love one Roman Dune say Luther Burton or all just doing the gritty Dirty work willingly and doing it like in intelligent ways like Luther Burton

30:13I brought up on the run game, but there's also all those bubbles and flats And some people are like why those work for them and not for us because their receivers actually block They actually go to the right guys and that's why those add up So instead of just going to blown up and zero yards even if it's not great it goes for two or three yards And it's like that was just little and I say hidden yards maybe maybe not the best term But it just adds up adds up over time better situations now A normal offense that'd be second intent. It's second and seven You know, just a little bit better just a little bit better put you over the top And they also again Ben Johnson has that thoughtfulness to kind of mitigate any weaknesses. They have like left tackle It's just It's good personnel and I'm right there with you a kale just looked incredible He's playing with so much coffins and just the talent is just insane the town I mean the two-minute drill is just incredible The throw two is left and then he has another one inside the pocket throws the burden and then he has the scramble where he breaks 20 miles Now or it's like that that's kill Williams in a nutshell right there

31:15And 59 points 59 points is more Ben Johnson in nutshell I know after after telling a reporter that you wanted to have the highest scoring offensive all time And then putting up 59 points That's yeah, that's pretty impret that's a nice start to the scene where you're wondering about this They had 0.19 EPA per rush wow the chiefs went 0.24 EPA per rush that's insane I know we both like to look at success Ray as well that was up there Also that I mentioned this to you I I appreciated Ben Johnson not saying total points and he went points per game because he realized that they went to 17 games So yeah, you are the right you're gonna be cheap. Yeah, that's right Yeah, he's the right level sicko for me that he actually looked that up and I I appreciate that I really do All right now I'm gonna get to one that's Maybe a surprising green flag And that's gain green that's the jets offense that was that's real Titans Titans the whole thing is a red flag, but we we can get into Brian Dable later

32:19But the jets offense that was sound that was their personnel just looking great Armand Membu might be a freaking all pro this year Mason Taylor is a guy that I'm really really liking like as a true two way Titan as a blocker as a receiver The use of titans in this offense. I've seen it They had a play where they ran 14 personnel 14 if you do the math. Oh, I'm sorry Yeah 14 personnel So it's one fullback was the one and then four titans and then they have Ken Yantzadek in the backfield Who also had a rushing touchdown speaking of titans, but Jeremy Rucker, Jolani Woods They have three legit blockers and Cd's willing to scrap I thought the run game looked good. I thought everyone looked very sound really the biggest issue was sometimes the receiver slipped Like I thought Geno looked confident again. He's willing Geno's willing to rip it But now that the circumstances around them are pretty good with an old wine. Those give them some nice comfortable pockets I think I'm not saying all the jets are gonna be this and that you know, there's a Titans caveat with this

33:24But between brace hall Breast hall braille and Allen this old line these titans and Geno and the receivers having enough juice This offense, I think is gonna be very legit this year and actually this was my work But all right, I got a spicy take. I want to hear would you go jets first, but yeah, I do have a take to maybe wrap wrap a bow on all this Or maybe just a one-liner, but would you do you get to peak the jets at all and maybe just check out what they're doing Yeah, I got it's like competency and you know everybody's always lol jets Yeah, they're the team that gets made fun of on a football Sunday more than any other team And they came into the season with Aaron Glenn coaching for his job and I'm like, oh my god, you know How is this actually gonna go and they had all the up people with their coaching staff in the offseason But I'm with you. You look at the roster And I'm kind of like the front office might be doing a pretty good job where next year if you can really draft a quarterback There is absolutely an infrastructure around them with a wide receiver one with the running back with the tight Ends you mentioned with the offensive line that you mentioned where it's like if you're confident in your play collar and your skimmer

34:29That's a situation that a rookie quarterback can come into and play well And so yeah, they looked good. They were creating explosive plays in the passing game the the rushing success rate was well above average and so I think it was nice if you're a jets fan. It's like just give us a week one Where we're not the laughing stock and I actually you know we'll do another red flag I think the other team might be the laughing stock but we can get to that But yeah, I just kind of felt happy for jets fans who have just had the worst You know, I was gonna say decade, but it's been longer than that But you know fewest wins in the NFL over the last 10 years to be like all right This is what it feels like to kind of have a normal NFL Sunday where your team doesn't embarrass you and wins the game So yeah, it might sound like a low bar to clear, but they absolutely cleared it in this game We're not What they're going for it. No, I know and you know success I thought there's success rate would be better, but it is more the explosive like that and that's the formula to me Is one of your either your run game your past game has to be explosive and you have to have a way to get those get on base

35:33The success rate that's why I do that suplex that It's just like I you have that that's the math to me always and I think they got it I think they got enough juice with their past catchers. I don't think they're gonna be perfect always But I do think that the the passing game will have a well They have a sound scheme and and that they have enough talent to kind of lift up that ceiling a little bit And speaking of New York teams like the Giants Bowie ball is gonna give a lot of teams issues Like you know teams that want to be in like sub personnel and funky personnel is on defense like the so it's just speaking of New York run games Like like the Giants Bowie ball is gonna have like we saw in week one against the Cowboys again We have a red flag coming later, but it's really watching that run game is gonna give there like a bad team beater Like you're if you have a unit that's not willing to strap up like they're gonna give some teams issues And I thought they kind of did some stuff, but my my hot take is that okay The Jets own first rounder The Jets will be picking higher than the Colts with their first round picks

36:35So the Colts will finish with like a worst record the Colts pick yeah, yes will have a worse record And will actually be picking higher than the Jets own pick that they you know they own both they also own the Packers pick and Packers defense might keep them out of the playoffs and in lack of a line at everything. So I don't know There's and I'm gonna tell you shale. I got a big board out that 27 Jaff draft class is juicy So it's not just quarterbacks. It's every position. So right draft own three draft three first rounders if I might add I mean, I've gotten a lot of stuff wrong as we all do in our analysis, but the sauce gardener trade at the time I'm just like What do you got what are you guys doing? You know what you don't have a quarterback solution for the future You cannot be given up that kind of draft capital when you're not sure about your quarterback And man that is a storyline to watch this year if that Colts team Goes in the tank to your point and all of a sudden that's a top

37:35A dish Pick in this specific draft like that's one that Colts fans are potentially talking about 10 years down the road like I can't believe We gave up that pick if the Jets get that you know have that and use it correctly. So yeah, you know I don't think you're crazy I think I had the the Jets around six wins in my preseason projections. I think I had the Colts around eight wins And you know if you adjust for how things went in week one it's not that far off So yeah, I think it's Yeah, you're right. I think it could be right around the same area for sure I know I didn't yeah, I felt better and again Opponents all this stuff one week don't want to extrapolate too much, but there's just little signs and everything where it's just kind of like You know the Colts I just it's hard for me to go over the top until Jones is kind of moving a little bit better Because if he's not pushing pushing the football and their defense I don't think can hold up in a lot of track meets It's just one of these where it's like man that run game as good as it is and as well coached as it as it is There's gonna be so game script dependent and Jones isn't the guy to be pushing the football right now

38:39So it's like it's it's interesting what's going on in India as well But we are gonna take our first break and we'll come back with another green flag. See you guys in a second In business, there's the easy way with staples or the hard way hard means new office opening Kevin find a cleaning supply vendor Frank we need furniture Susan gets someone to deliver coffee Move move move easy means one vendor for all your workplace needs hard means Your break room deliveries confirmed great for Sunday. I am great Easy means next day delivery when and where you need it. Don't choose hard choose staples That was easy visit staples.com to learn more about our business solutions Every bold journey starts with a decision to go and if you're ready the defender is too This is a vehicle built for more whether you're heading off the grid or just getting out of town for the weekend Defender is a true icon reimagined for a new generation Its rugged exterior is built from durable materials and tested in the toughest conditions

39:40Inside its modern functional and refined with smart storage and premium touches that keep you comfortable wherever the road leads It's packed with tech like 3D surround cameras clear sight ground and rear views driver assist features and an intuitive infotainment system With three models the defender 90 110 and 130 there's a defender for every kind of adventure From city streets to remote trails This is a vehicle that like you is capable of great things Explore the full defender lineup at Land Rover USA.com This message is brought to you by the Capital One Venture X card Venture X offers the premium benefits you expect like a $300 annual Capital One travel credit for less than you expect Elevator earn with unlimited double miles on every purchase bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination Plus enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide the Capital One Venture X card What's in your wallet terms apply lounge access is subject to change seek capital one dot com for details

40:45I we are back shield. What's your next green flag All right next green flag. I've got Everything I saw from the Baltimore Ravens except maybe they're run defense But to your point earlier the Colt have a good uh run game But this could be a little bit of confirming my priors You know, I thought the Ravens were like an 11 win team and I was high on Jesse mentor But if you're a Ravens fan and you watch that game it's like Lamar Jackson did all the Lamar Jackson things where I'm sure you were looking at it in the preseason I was looking at it like huh a lot of the run game the stuff with the Mar Jackson last year the elusiveness all the numbers are down Is he entering a different phase of his career or was he just injured last year? After week one it looks like it was he was probably just injured last year and he's gonna be fine Yeah, yeah, he looked fantastic Declan Doyle Nate the shots of him in the Coaches booth are just hilarious because you it's almost like did someone bring their son to work day You know or is this the or is this the Ravens offensive coordinator?

41:49Meanwhile, he's just dialing it up with these fun designs and creativity and they're just hitting explosive plays Like every other play it felt like in that game the old line Which I thought was a question coming into the season Their run blocking well Derek Henry looked amazing Defensively It might have something to do with the anal Jones is lack of mobility But highest pressure rate for any team in the NFL in week one with the Baltimore Ravens tre Hendrixon You know a Tavius Robinson kind like four quarterbacks hits in that game the secondary plays really well Their special teams was really good Mint or goes for it on a fourth and goal from the three they don't get it But I'm like good you should go for it. Look at looking at this offense So they looked great. They looked well coached. They looked physical. They looked explosive I know they got a couple injuries at wide receiver, but in terms of like coaching debuts I don't think that could have gotten gone much better Then then it went for the Ravens and Mint er I don't know if you know this but they pulled the urban Meyer already made this joke

42:49But they pulled the urban Meyer 200 plus yards rushing 200 plus yards passing Merwin or Meyer came in said that's what they want to average every single game I'll never forget it. I think I forgot that yeah, and we all did the math and are like you know That's only happened this many times in NFL history Yeah, it happens like three times a season like by any team It's like yeah, I want to average that you know, you don't have team you don't you don't have Timmy Tibo back there And then and you're not playing UCF every week at Florida and Percy Arvins not catchings against some of these No, I yeah, this could have been one of mine. I was hoping you bring a bit off The more average 18.8 yards per dropback Cool, like including scramble and passing yards 18.8 yards per dropback. Yeah, that'll work 12.2 net yards per attempt. So when he did throw it the average almost eight yards per play 12 explosives. I mean it was last year They were super explosive, but they weren't very successful. They weren't very efficient It was very boom bust on that offense And so the fact that they tried it out there and went with a 55% passing success right I was like yeah that'll work

43:53I know with this wrong game with this rung games can be fine I really like the little line coach dwein ledford I bring him up all the time. Loved his designs. I broke that down on Sunday night I really do think too. It's that so you so personnel was good I also thought the guards vague I only the rookie and then john Simpson looked excellent um like truly really good and that is very encouraging because you know I figured that's gonna be a boost for them But if this is what the team's gonna be it's great the use of personnel the variety of personnel passing game designs all sound deco Doyle obviously he's a was just coaching for benja actually some people got mad at me when I said he was part of the shamp Peyton tree. It's like what tree do you think Ben Johnson's from and and everyone's like he's a Ben Johnson tree guy It's like trees start at the top. So really he's a bill par sells guy if you really want to get into it Like you know like I mean I mean I do you guys think trees work It's a branch and then a twig off of that Um but hey, we're sorry uh yeah, but I I love the designs. I'm right there with you passing game run game

44:56Just they said Zay flowers they I felt like they they felt like they had the game controller I K. It's not precious with your hammy So but they said if they were a playoff game he'd be playing uh you know, it was pretty nice Okay, so it's something he's not the biggest guy So it's something to keep an eye on because he looked great the designs for him look great and yeah I was you know, I still got a couple shares of a shot Bateman. So it's what's the Matt harm is on the show, but I was a shout for Matt Harmon as well But I know loved it love the use of personnel. They also like Keed in on guys like ardent key in the run game. They really focused on him So again, that showed a little opponents scouting and I love what you mentioned with the defense like I thought Tavie Tavie's Robinson was great and I um loved how they use Calla Hamilton as well. All right My next one another one I talked about on Sunday night I want to reiterate it because now I got to watch it on film jacks offense I loved it again browns caveat yada yada yada But everything was sound even when it wasn't sound like run game wise Bayesville tooton chris rod regas shoot even a mirror of duel

45:59They're making guys miss again browns caveat, but then the passing game wise Trevor Lawrence If you watch every single one of his passes or at least the ones that he gets the ball out one hitchball out one hitchball out one hitchball out one hitchball out Which means he's seeing the game well and that he has confidence in what they're calling and what they're calling is exactly what they designed to work Like that is there's just those underlying signs that this could be really good A manual pregnant or rookie left guard look great especially in the run game like the left side could be a real strength for them Especially when they got to run it with chris rod regas and like short yard and stuff which I thought was a weakness for them last year Kind of a travel Said ETN H&N stat just like that's a little kind of his stat But but I did think that this this offense could be explosive run game wise pass game wise and also efficient run game wise pass game wise So when I'm all systems go with this Travis Hunter got sprinkled and Travis Hunter now he just got a carry Got a touch or a couple touches. He's out there blocking and with blocking with confidence

47:00I'm like he was blocking for they did a funny play where I was like all right Travis Hunter Parker Washington in Who do you think is this gets the screen neither of them Jacobi Myers come on down you get the screen and those two are gonna block for you And they're willing blockers and doing all that so guys are bought in you can tell the players are having fun There's some confidence things so if you want to go for that narrative as well I love the designs of this offense and I like the designs of the defense who are playing with confidence as well too So yeah jack's offense again browns caveat, but I'm all systems go with them right now I Thought that you know Lauren's obviously looked great. I thought there's been certainly been times in the past where you felt like the supporting cast Let's him down and I thought in this game They were really making plays for Trevor Lawrence from like oh like nice wow nice catch nice Every time they know that an explosive play. I'm like nice throw, but also nice job by the other guy as well So yeah my question with the Jaguars coming into the season was I was just like let me see them do it again Yeah, like sometimes we crown the offensive coaches early, and I'm like Liam Cohen seems like kind of a volatile personality where I want to see this

48:08for a second Yeah He's probably listening like yeah, that's right. Yep. Thank you. I would agree with that So I just I'm like all right. Let me see it. I wanted a bigger sample But that was a great I mean that was an unbelievable start they had the best offensive performance just like efficiency wise Probably in the NFL this week. I can't I can't remember if the giants Might have been up there. Obviously the bears had an awesome one But they were right there with any of those teams. This was like a 99th percentile game in terms of success rate So yeah fantastic start for them I want to see more but you got you got a lot of love the way they begin the season That's it. Yeah, I know when Trevor 62% was throws travel 10-amory area arts, which is the highest of his career I mean we just pull up the heat map the target map there and it's like you can tell it is just When the balls out and you're pushing the ball like that that's that's Again the formula and when the run games just good enough I don't think this run game will be outstanding like I still the whole line is not perfect

49:10But they're above board. It's not garbage. It's not the Packers Where I'm like, okay, this is gonna be an issue all year But it's like I do they have enough talent up there where it's like the weak link isn't As weak as it was maybe the last year where the kind of run game fell apart and Designed way designed wise they do a lot of nice stuff as far as just kind of like mitigating and helping those guys out moving the pocket Motion stuff, so just just real good stuff from them We are going to take our last break and then we're gonna come back with the red flags Even though we already already had a red flag, but we're gonna get some more red flags. All right. See you guys in a sec In Business there's the easy way with staples or the hard way hard means new office opening Kevin fun a cleaning supply vendor Right we need furniture Susan gets someone to deliver coffee move move move easy means one vendor for all your workplace needs Hard means okay your break room deliveries confirmed great or Sunday

50:10Great easy means next day delivery when and where you need it. Don't choose hard choose staples That was easy visit staples.com to learn more about our business solutions Every bold journey starts with a decision to go and if you're ready the defender is to This is a vehicle built for more whether you're heading off the grid or just getting out of town for the weekend Defender is a true icon reimagined for a new generation It's rugged exterior is built from durable materials and tested in the toughest conditions Inside its modern functional and refined with smart storage and premium touches that keep you comfortable wherever the road leads It's packed with tech like 3d surround cameras clear sight ground and rear views driver assist features and an intuitive infotainment system With three models the defender 90 110 and 130 there's a defender for every kind of adventure from city streets to remote trails This is a vehicle that like you is capable of great things Explore the full defender lineup at Land Rover USA.com

51:14This message is brought to you by the capital one venture X card venture X offers the premium benefits you expect Like a $300 annual capital one travel credit for less than you expect Elevator earn with unlimited double miles on every purchase bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination Plus enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide the capital one venture X card What's in your wallet terms apply lounge access is subject to change seek capital one dot com for details We are back. It's time for red flags and again. This is causes for concerns Do we have some stuff that maybe we're already squinting at and now we're like oh, I'm definitely squinting harder Do we have some stuff that I was I say aye because there's gonna be one or this stuff that maybe we were high on the like oh Maybe I missed that but what was your first red flag other than everything with the broncos last night All right, I had a few here Nate, but this is a game I didn't watch until This morning, so I want to leave with this one because it's fresh in my mind

52:19You mentioned the jets the team the jets were playing in week one the Tennessee Titans Listen for the audience. I don't know if you're if you're not a fan of either of these teams I can't imagine you were paying a lot of attention to this game So let me give you a little recap to the fur to kind of the debut of the Robert Salah era Intenacy and listen if I'm being mean here Nate you can you can check me if people want to say it's only one week All right fine that it's only one week, but it's like what you don't want us to do a podcast until eight weeks in You know, we gotta go off what we saw So here's what we used to do some opponents got it. You know, we need that data set. I know When people say that I'm like all right check back with me in January after everything's happened I'll tell you I'll tell you what happened But here's what happened in that Titans game. So the very first play of the Robert Salah era They boot the kickoff out at balance. That's that's how they start the Robert Salah era the second play from scrimmage They have a defensive pass interference So at this point in the game the jets had had one four yard run and they were already

53:22In Titans territory now it didn't really improve for the Titans after that they get out gained 367 to 195 The all-gas no breaks defense hit the quarterback once In this football game The most emotion I saw or the most exciting moment for the Titans in this game At least if you're if you're going off the Salah sideline reactions The jets missed a field goal Nate And you would have thought the Titans just finished a perfect season 17 and now I mean he was he was fired up on that sideline. So there was that and I have some more for you. Sorry bear with me here Keep going no go go go Bryce Hall had a touchdown run Nate where the Titans Had I believe 13 guys on the field so they have two guys sprinting off the field in the very direction where Bryce Hall is about to take an outside run To the end zone until it ends up being a touchdown anyway. There's a flag because they can't get the right guys on the field

54:23they later have a fumble on Special teams so you know special teams is always like hi r a is this coach like paying attention to some of the little edges No the Tennessee Titans are not and then I feel like this is one that you're gonna get to But let me set you up Brian Dave all has had everyone convinced that he's bill wall sh and I don't understand why I don't know get it. I don't I don't get it They had 11 first downs by all the advanced ass. This was basically what an average game for their offense looked like last year And let me give you some background as I set you up here Brian day balls last three seasons The first one the giants were 29th and EPA per drive in the team sucked The second one the giants were 29th and EPA per drive in the team sucked The third one he got fired and the quarterback who he could not win with Was leading the best offense in the NFL With a different coach and this was the offensive coordinator that every team felt like it needed to go pursue

55:28In the offseason. So there you go Nate the Tennessee Titans the Robert solid Brian Dave ball I'm sorry Titans fans fans. I'm being mean, but come on. I know that was a horrendous start And and that's the thing is I thought I was like okay. They're deep. I was you know hesitant about the offense But it was like the defense. I was like okay. I always tell you know they got some juice upfront You know, they got Jeffrey Simmons. I like Kendrick Falk They got John Frank on Myers. They're gonna you know bash some heads in it. I was like Oh the jets kind of just man-heeled you like you know Jeffrey Simmons had some moments and everything and I looked at their coaching staff before the season and I know the Titans don't pay top dollar to their assistance But interesting when you have mm-hmm and when you have yeah the owners She's up there when the when the Head coach is an energy guy The assistance sort of top-leutants should be detailed guys. That's always a big philosophy of me

56:29Robert saw as an energy guy He's a player motivator and he's really good at But you also kind of see his defenses at him flow a talent But then he hires Gus Bradley who I don't consider a detailed guy I consider him an energy guy and then we get into the offense and Brian Davies neither He's a negative energy guy and he's a negative play caller And he's been that way forever the bills became a more like the 2020 bills Lives in everybody's head 2020 stats don't count. They don't count. It's fake. It's the juiced ball year of NFL stats Thank god no one had takeaways that you shouldn't run the ball from that year But I really do think that when I look at the start interrupt you but what what One offensive coordinator has not had success with Josh Allen like I have no coaching acumen I think if you stuck me up there in orchard park I bet we could be top eight in DVLA. Hey Josh What do you want to do? Thank God you've been running here. You want to call the plays? I mean you can't build your reputation on coaching Josh freaking Allen

57:29I need something else that proves to me you were a good coach. Sorry. Go ahead. I agree You know Joe Brady's best years are with Joe borough and Josh Allen. He's offensive genius as well No, but I really do think too is that I actually do like the old line coach Carmen Bersillo. He was the giant sky last year and he's okay But even like the rest of the staff the quarterback coach is like basically just been you know I don't want to just keep calling out assistants, but like he he's been nothing but Brian Davies number two Like that's his resume. It's just every stop. It's like he was just brought with Brian Davies That's not gonna bring in new ideas And this is a team that needs fresh ideas and this is again I overuse this but you know canary in the coal mine I looked at the preseason and yes preseason tape and what they use scheme wise is usually the base plays And it's not very exotic. I get all that but they're and I said this the last month They're base place suck So that is bad that means it's like what they're using as their day one install and it's like that's worrisome when your day one week one stuff is

58:35Archaic to me, you know It's stuff that worked five years ago against old rules seven six seven eight years ago It hasn't adapted. It's not totally on sound. It just hasn't adapted and actually I came away actually like came Ord wasn't great. I came away and I was actually like oh came word wasn't like awful though I was I like he was just doing the best he could you had guys there's a third down And I just tweeted this actually before the show started They had a third down Where they had so four guys were running routes Two ran into each other and the other two ran into each other Both sets of guys ran into each other and on top of it they have a protection bust And it what it was a great blitz don't come you wrong from the jets, but they were protection bust So it's like I even said it because I even know I can you know I'm verified whatever on Twitter now. I can use his main characters as I want I still always try to keep it, you know under the limit And I just said there's just too much to low there's too much to low light here Like I yeah, I just like I would take too many words to just go like this was wrong this was wrong This was wrong and you can say oh the guy got collision there

59:36This is kind of like an old coaching thing is like don't get collisioned like that that's coaching Just tell guys did not get collision that again It's it's because guys are thinking and when guys are thinking you they place low and they don't see What they should see because they're thinking about their assignment And I just see that with this team and it's just like You know, I wasn't high in this offense You know, they only have so much so much potential and every earth so much personnel and everything they're a year away anyways But it's just yeah, it's it's pretty scary What I saw and again, I'm right there with the Brian Davill It's just like why is he just keep getting jobs and why do people keep acting like he like fixed Josh Allen Josh Allen fixed Josh Allen Josh Allen is a is not only just a freak athlete. He's a genius like you that's a thing too He's very very smart and and he works hard I'm gonna bet on that that he actually fixed himself as opposed to what all these guys want to say sorry Oh, I could go on. I just go to the whole show. All right I'm gonna get on to my red flag and this is maybe me Getting ahead of myself on some stuff and maybe going like oh and the math of the cowboys

1:00:40But mine is the cowboys defense of miscommunications. We're a little little worrisome And again, I should stop Brian shot nightmare again who is like Moving up in my head my head rankings about how I just think he communicates even after the game he goes We got young guys he goes we're not gonna be perfect on that but it was like it was good It wasn't just so outright negative But he addressed the criticism and then he spun it into a way that wasn't just coach speak It was I don't know. I he just got he's kind of a way kind of like I'm too. Yeah, I can't believe it But I just from like five years, you know five years ago to now I'm just like I don't know the time with Pete Carroll. I think help the probably the path You know, it just feels like and we'll see how the cowboys perform this season But I'm with you. Yeah, I think he is At the very least like a solid head coach. It feels like Yeah, I think he yeah, he's just a good communicator. It looks like I don't know There's just something to that. I don't like the backwards visor thing, but other than that like you know He's got a lot he's got a lot good going for him

1:01:41But I just watching that game back again credit to the giants again tough out. They're gonna have funky personnel Not funky just bully ball personnel and the cowboys are a defense that wants to gonna probably live and sob and nickel personnel We want to get um kale downs into the slot yada yada, but there's just kind of like lack of understanding of their personnel that kind of was a little worrisome Like they would I know as you that covered the earth has checked in on the Eagles for years and years This can happen with the phanjio defenses is we match with base and then an often spreads us out And then now you get no one Smith out in space or you know Trying to think they had another guy that would they put out in space was I was a huff Turn them over with another outside linebacker But guys that should be rushing the pastor with their hand in the dirt are now out in space and coverage That happened a couple times where they had malchite Lawrence out in space who in college never did that He was never a coverage guy So it's just like that those little things of like And maybe it's just the limitations of personnel But it was kind of just that was a little worrisome yet the flat route bus

1:02:44I know much a bunch of people highlighted jashop barum who's a rookie Who's more of an edge player in college, but I still like him to fit in this defense. He was just lost in space against coverage The touchdown Isaiah likely there's a botch to me and I could be wrong here to me Doron Doron blande had a botch there I thought he was supposed to what they call make an undercall so when the route goes underneath he falls off Onto it So there was just kind of moments like that they couldn't get off the field on third down which should get better Not every time you're gonna go let up nine first downs on ten attempts like that Jackson Darwich is on a heater But I just do think that Okay, maybe I waved away some of the concerns that this defense should have they were really bad last year It's a lot of new faces. It's a lot of young faces Thought that the the front would just be a little bit more tenacious But again, giant so lines pretty good. So that was my first red flag That's just kind of everything with that kind of Cowboys defense a week one Yeah, I mean it was it's everything you mentioned it's miscommunications

1:03:46You know, I'm revisiting the depth chart going hot. Did I like? Are the players good enough that they have here? You know, we talk so much about coaching And that's a big part of preseason prep is like all right They changed the coordinator and with the guys who haven't done it before you just have to make a call like do I trust that This person's gonna know what they're doing and be able to do more with less or not But sometimes especially early on it's just like well, what what is the talent here? On this team and so I don't think anyone expected it to look great Early on, but I think it's almost like the Broncos offense to degree to which it looked bad And the way it looked bad which if you look at EPA per drive date There's been 602 defensive performances since the start of last season and this one ranked 601st I know we got the grab that might my tweet on the screen there it actually updated and it was worse Then even that because the thing is the giant only had seven possessions And they scored touchdowns on four of them and then the fifth one remember that's a twenty twenty game And you just have to get off the field once like they could have kind of saved the game if they're just like

1:04:48Let's get one stop and five minutes and 21 seconds to let the other team just run out the clock like that That was the fifth drive which easily could have been A touchdown to like five touch five potential touchdowns on seven possessions that that's as bad as it gets in the NFL So I was ripping them on Sunday night I was very disappointed to see that because like you I thought the Cowboys were gonna be a playoff team this year Since then I'm like all right, let me just let's take a deep breath This is one of you know, I know I just made fun of the it's only one week people But for this specific one, I'm like all right. Let me give them another week Let's see what this looks like after a month here I'm not gonna completely bury them yet, but yeah, that that was a very tough way to open the season for for that Cowboys defense Yeah, four drives by the giants of ten or more plays they just yeah The Cowboys defense just couldn't get off the field and give like you said it's just it was a combination of things to like Like tackling in space like all the DB's that's I always think that too is that like guys playing or defense is playing with confidence

1:05:50Especially DB's you see that with a fangio defense watch Cooper Dijine fill up on that is that When the it's because they're moving forward because they know what's about to happen the Ceeox defense is a great example Checkdown happens watch how fast they're DB's and got fly up them soft the check downs all the Cowboys They're begging you to throw the check down so they can crush those guys and plan into the turf and just happen Yeah, yeah, oh yeah, they're like the undertaker jumping off and just close on you they can't wait But then you watch bad defenses and as a guy that's been around some bad defenses in my life I you know I worked with the Falcons and the Raiders in the mid-Aut or mid-2010s is that When you see a DB especially on TV All right guy catches a swing and then you see that DB coming into frame like all right I guess this is my guy and then they just tackle and then they just fall backwards like that That's kind of like they're not playing with confidence and playing with speed and playing they're thinking They're like okay. I think this is my guy. I got to get over here now. Okay. I That those little indicators behind with you

1:06:51It's kind of one of these it's like I want to give it a month and then then I'll see fangio defenses do take time Because it just so many rules they run they run a ton of coverages, but there's a lot of rules with their coverages So I'm just gonna give it a little time, but after a month We'll check in on you about Halloween maybe a little before Halloween Cowboys defense. All right Yeah, you have another red flag You know, I had some like honorable mentions. We've gotten to the ones that I wanted to get to now You did mention one that I had as my potential one so maybe I'll mention that and let you cook a little bit That Chargers defense Nate is that is that one that you had? Okay, I'm gonna highlight that sort of low light it Yes, but what were your thoughts? Yeah, I want your thoughts on this because I came into the season like I'm looking at the depth chart Goin is this a talented defense here? I have a lot of questions about the way that Chargers roster has been built I feel like it hasn't been mentioned and that's probably gonna be an ongoing conversation all season long But I look at it and it's so clearly felt like a situation where mintor was doing more with less the last two years

1:07:57And so then when you bring in a new defensive coordinator, I'm like This isn't just come in and like run my scheme the players aren't good enough to you know like you got to find some way To give your group an edge and I thought Jacobi percent was just going up and down the field Against that Chargers defense. I mean all the statistics where you're looking at just the efficiency wise We're through the roof for the Arizona Cardinals. So what's kind of your level of concern? What did you see on film with that Chargers defensive and kind of the first game of the post-minter era? Not good You know I and I did study on crystal leery Watches western Michigan stuff and I was like oh you're really blitz happy and I was like I was that because you're a person now or what and He was blitz fairly blitz happy against the Cardinals. I think this is gonna be a thing with them And but I think they need to I don't know who can rush the passer and you know truly to a below two Ken But Clio Mac is a more of a run defense edge now. I also think they have issues defending the edge actually in the run game Um on top of it some DBs look a little sloppy

1:09:00Like even I saw some miscommunications on concepts. I don't consider hard ones for the offense Like what they're thrown at them and I don't know if Back in the day. I used to read some Star Wars books and the extended universe before before Kathleen Kennedy buried that whole franchise um, and I think They there was a trilogy called the thorn trilogy a thrawn trilogy. I'm sorry and they talked about it when the emperor died And everything fell apart for the empire Because they're saying he was the hive mind or he was the you know his brain was holding everything together and his power And then they've ruined all this with the recent movies, but I digress That's what I'm getting at that. That's Jesse mentor I think Jesse mentor and how well-gain planned everybody was they played as a collective whole And it came up time and time again where it was just like oh, man Is this guy good or is it just because everybody was sound and they'll Will use him the wrong spot and you get get get him a couple times

1:10:01But then they would punish you when they did blitz it was super effective the blitz is one effective I thought and it's just a lot of the same personnel So I'm right there with you where I was like I looked at this and I started squinting I kind of regret some of my chargers optimism and still I actually am not as out on the offense as I thought I would be Upon rewatch You know they have some the receivers and tight ends had some sloppiness which I'm keeping my eye on But I do think that that defense is more worrisome than maybe I have kind of like considered it So I do think this is kind of a hard Or kind of a medium red flag for me and I just think that they just had a lot of botches and that was worrisome I know it's a first-time defense coordinator in the NFL But that's a lot of vets on that team And that's kind of that's a little concerning to me especially for a team that wasn't you like this was kind of the strength of their team was that They're really sound on defense and then her work kind of puts them over top. I actually have one last little question about this Yeah, would you rather other than quarterback Take the Cardinals roster or the Chargers roster. Oh

1:11:02Great question. Okay offensively Well the chargers to charge the two tackles. Okay. Yeah, oh the past Yeah, oh man Right, it's a great question. I think it's pretty close. I don't know. Yeah, I know I don't mean to like just avoid that But I'm like on the fence. I think I could go either way. Are you are you Cardinals on this? I think I'm leaning Cardinals even defensively. I like more of the Cardinals players as I kind of just went one by one I'm like all right. It's not perfect. I'm not saying it's like a whole bunch of all stars But it's just I don't know like they have a lot more interesting players to me Well, I think just the the Chargers defense, you know, a Henley's Interesting kind of tapered off a little bit. You know, like I like tiered hard Dermon James is cool, but like the Cardinals got some juice as well like up front in on the back end So I don't know I yeah, I just wanted to throw that to you because I was kind of It's kind of it's kind of like a parent on my own context

1:12:05Yeah, yeah, what I was saying earlier where I'm looking at that. I'm looking at the Chargers roster I'm like this is year three with Herbert and Harbaugh and I'm looking around God This doesn't feel like it's good enough and you know you spend a first round pick on Amari and Hampton when it felt like There were trade-back opportunities where you really could have built some depth there It may be addressed some other positions Then you get injured on the offensive line last year and your season falls apart this last year I not to be an agist, but you're you're spending a first round pick on a 26 year old Past pressure there and I'm just like looking at some of the things that they've done And I'm kind of like I thought that This roster would be and I don't want to make it sound like we're making excuses for Harbaugh and Herbert and everyone else Obviously they gotta be better He defend her rare at all. That's the I know. I know But it the roster should be better. I question whether it is a well-run Organization in team in terms of the stuff they're doing on the edges there

1:13:05So that's on my radar because because you said it's a medium red flag And I think that's right because they have one of the hardest schedules in the NFL this year And so like you can't be dropping games where you're nine and a half point favorites Against the Arizona Cardinals and now you might have some injuries with Lad McConkey or whatever else And you already don't have a deep roster. So yeah, I have the try I had the chargers as a playoff team I had a mid 10 and 7 I would still stick with that if I had a redo today But I am I can't lie. I feel a little bit more nervous about it than I was maybe a week ago And on top of it Their special teams were wofull in the preseason and they got a pump locked. So it's like All for the six go man You see in the last 10 minutes you said you were studying western Michigan film and now you're dropping the charger special teams In the preseason like this is why when people ask me like she like do you like really love football? I'm like I like football But I get around some people like Nate Tyson. I'm like I don't I definitely don't love it as much So I just some other people some of my friends and colleagues in this face there. So there you go

1:14:10That's a feather in your cat. It's just more interesting to me than throwing another 13 personnel or under center stat like I see out there So it's just a little bit more interesting to me Yeah last little things to kind of I've wrapped a bow maybe on the chargers or however you want to put this is yeah Parish Johnson Jr. is younger than a mezzadour Uh Parish Johnson Jr. is in year four and dominated him and mezzadour, you know is a rookie who you know He's he's gonna be okay, but the whole offense shouldn't rely on lad You know and I'd like lad he's a good player, but it's he's like obviously what and people know this But they're becoming a parent why you kind of dropped a little bit was he had injury concerns coming out of college So it's like, you know kind of a parent now in the NFL. He's getting banged up over and over. He got rocked Mac Wilson was Taken I mean Take scouts I mean he was thumpin dude. So I mean again Kind of Cardinals they were they they're fun. They're like the defense is fun It's funky and the offense was really well coach and you know, I think Michael floor

1:15:14Should laugh some people and we've talked about it. I met mad harmonious. I were both He's he's Cardinals curious and I just continue my carnal stuff, but yeah man I just really do think that like they they get some credit, but man I'm squinting what's going on L.A. right now with the chargers Yeah, totally yeah, the Cardinals are a little bit like the jets where it's like all right They got they have kind of a lot of professional players On this roster. What's what's it gonna look like now? They face the hardest schedule in the NFL So I didn't think they're gonna win a lot of games this year and then running Jeremiah love 17 times in a preseason game got me like oh my gosh This is gonna go really poorly, but maybe I overreacted to that because you're right that looked like a well coach team in week one Yeah, and they signed my guy Roy Lopez who looked dominant who every keeps becoming a free agent No one will sign them because pros scouting staffs are very lazy. They just go hey coach. Who did you work with before? Oh, okay, we'll sign him. We'll sign him. He knows the system. He knows the system. We get Wendell Robinson in here But also another one a little player like that psycho nice cut on a little microcosm here Isaac Somala

1:16:20Guard free agent chargers like nope, we're not gonna sign them carnal sign them and you look good You know carnal sign Tyler Algier who anybody could have signed Anybody could sign cowboys could have signed packers could have known once to sign Tyler Algier good player never fumbles Pass protection and there's the hamster ball rolling again, but I digress She'll you're the best man Right, you're the best. Thank you so much for joining me Can you tell everybody where to find you and what you got going on? Yeah, this is a lot of fun as always always good to reconnect it's like you know seeing it see an old friend What's on glad we have podcasts because I you know you're actual old friends you like never get to get around with them So we can just podcast it together every couple of months And catch up, but yeah ringer NFL show and if you're a Philly sports fan the ringers Philly special Awesome, you're the best you always check out she'll stuff great stuff every time Now we just see even on this timeline so make sure to check them out on social media at shield kappadia I always great. I think the last time we did a show together

1:17:21We talked JJ McCarthy and I want to I wish you nailed it because I cashed it cashed in on that one, but But again, we're closing it out today I'll be back on Thursday with mad harming to preview week two and thanks again to Toyota the official automotive partner of the NFL Don't forget to make your picks with Toyota game day giveaways for chances to win big prizes throughout the season Learn more at toyota.com slash NFL. I'm a ties you can find me at an a underscore ties Check out sheels work at show kappadia and at the ringer. He is the best Subscribe, please also not only to this podcast wherever you listen to that, but to the Yahoo sports NFL YouTube channel Like these videos subscribe. You can check out all of our stuff every full show and our Sunday night live shows with me and Hayden Wink so make sure to like subscribe Do the little ringy bell thing. I think some people do that But thanks to everyone behind the scenes from making us look and sound good. Thank you all for listening. See you guys next time

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