Baltimore Ravens and Final Rankings

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Like everybody, you know, we're There's the USA and then I feel like most people have a second team that they. Yeah, but it was cooler when I barely knew soccer twenty something years ago. I got into soccer via video game and via the two thousand six World Cup kind of zero two and then the zero six World Cup was really when I got into soccer. We played where you me of my friends was like, you can't play as Brazil so you got to pick someone else So I picked Germany likeike that was like some underdog team, you know, that never win. So Kind of sort of Germany, but that always feels a little bit cheating because they're like a little too good. but who cares? A lot of American fans pick powerhouses in soccer, especially with the EPL, so I feel okay As of this recording, Spain is tied with Cape Verde. I doubt be that'll hold, but that's crazy. Mine's obviously Korea, who had a great first one. so very exciting. All right American football Today is a very fun podcast. We are here to rank as I do every year. The top ten offenses of twenty twenty six Nate and I by the way, Nate, by the way, if you don't know, you know is the host of football three hundred one, which is an excellent podcast, you guys should go check out wherever you get your pods We texted a little bit. We have not revealed our list to each other. I told you that I had about fourteen and I was having a lot of trouble picking my final ten and I think the five through ten or six through ten We could have wildidely different results, which is really fun, right? Because we want difference. What was your feel at the end of doing this I ended up getting got out to fifteen and even like and I thought I you know, I think we've talked about this. We've done many of ranking shows together, usually me on your show. And I' bring you on to do pop culture ones. I was like, yeah, what's rank like Fank TV things. Yeah. But I always kind of have the same method The day before, whatever the first time I think on it, I open up that Google Doc and I just go ere what does my brain think of first because that's kind of like what I want to go to. Gut instinct what comes to it. and then usually I marinate on it, sleep on it. thenen I do the stat research outa yada. But I put down fifteen fifteen teams and really I would say my final list got down to thirteen But yeah, so that's the range, But man I couldn' It was hard. This is hard. It's hard every year, but this was very hard. You know, I always do at the end like the ones that just missed the cut. but I'm sure someone of mine that just missed the cut will be on your list and vice versa, I suspect. Correct So the I think I' I always say I'm a little unique in that I go one to ten. I start with one. I feel like a lot of people do countdowns, but I just think I don't Ten is where there's more debate at the end. and I think we're probably going to have a lot of the same teams in the top five I told you, I had I was pretty good about one and then two through four, I kept switching the order. You said you had a clear top two. Yes. So I'll just go first and give you my one and you can tell me where you have them. The number one offense of twenty twenty six. I went with the Los Angeles Rams They're two for me. Okay. I want to have some fun here. But I can easily make an argument for one. but I have a clear top two. so it's Rams and Mystery team as my other one. if you want me to get into it, Ram R, then we can talk Rams Okay, my number one is the Dallas Cowboys They're my number one offense for twenty twenty. Really? Oh yeah, I have them at five. Okay. I'm buying all the stock. Okay. Okay. Wow. Oh my gosh, I thought you were gonna say something else. am Wow It's talk about gut instinct and then talk about research into it. It was like, yeah, I actually warmed up even more and I thought I wouldd be high. and I was like, noah, the more I kind of just sat and marinated on it, just like a lot of what's going on there. So Wowither these two teams I' excited to talk about. I have millium too. and then we'll do the cowboys next. That is wow. startarted out with a bang. I love it. Yeah. Well that's why I twe I would text you because I mean, you use the stickers of your son, which is great. and I'm a ort one boomer that doesn't do stickers. I just cut out screenshots and I sent one of my son I was like, You're like, hey, I can remember what your joke was, but mind was when I get a little too high on the Cowboys, there was a picture of my son looking very mischievous. So that's yeah, that's how I was feeling, right when you text me that. I'm excited to talk about the Cowboys offense The two teams that are largely running aback, the Rams Everything's pretty much the same. The biggest difference is they added another tight end to their I don't even know like a fleet of tight ends. I mean, it is comical. you look at the det chart and you take a step back, I don't even know what order to put them in. likeike I'll be curious to see the pecking order, right? Right now, you have the veteran Higby, Parkinson Ferguson, who was the second rounder last year and then Max Claire this year. And then you have Davis Allen, who also gets opportunities. So it is an incredibly tight end group. otherwise, it is the same group, right? Max Matthew Sabver, now backed up by Ty Simpson U Puinkua, Dvante Adams, Jordan Whittington, I guess Conaay Mogfield would be your widest su before Karin Williams, Blake Cororm running back. The offensive line is the same But there's no question marks there This was a team that was last year second or first pardon me, in offensive DBOA They were incredibly explosive and efficient both in the past game and the run game, secondcond in both passing and rushing success rate, which is a wild combination It was an offense that showed the ability to evolve over the course of the season as listeners to every football podcast have learned ad Nauseum, the use of the tight ends, played games without Pkanakua, played games without Devante Adams, didn't seem to lose a step. So I don't really think We have to talk about why the Rams are the top two. I think The question I want to ask you is the the thing that gave the only thing that gave me a little bit of hesitation. is like not just in terms of you know having them one overall, but like sustaining what we didnt saw last year fragile. Yes. And is that ultimately what held you back Okay, talk about it And that's. Oline depth, I think is the best way. And and Seaan McVeigh should get a. I have so much credit no matter who the line coaches or whatever. he trots out there is playable. Like Coleman Shelton was playable with the Ramps, goes to the Bears was unplayable comomes right back and he starting again they they get sixth rounder bowl limert at center one year. they're like, Yeah actually we're going to move them around. Like he is so aggressive with his offensive line changes signing Joe N booom, then benching them saying, hey, you're not going know we're going the confidence to do that is rare. I mean, maybe that's why McVeigh is McVeigh, But that's just really what it is. likeike Rob Havenstein didnn't play great last year then gets hurt, now is retired shout my guy Rob, but Warren McCleand comes in actually plays pretty well, but the thing is is now the depth is the starter. So now there goes the depth. So it's just the natural inclination of that and also Stafford's back Like that was a whole story last year. and of course, he held off with it. id't take a lot of sacks last year But Stafford got hit a lot. Like if you just look at knockdown rate and Qubie hit rate, he was up there. It's just that he got rid of the ball because he's Matthew Stafford and did it efficiently and all that. So he didn't take the sacks, but those hits add up. He's another year older. and then even just Deavante Adams, another year older. and They have insulated themselves with the tight ends and that's that's what's the nice thing is that, okay, if Devante gets hurt like you did last year. We can just do a bunch of tight end looks like they did against when they went to London. wereere they playing the jags, I think that week Yeah, and that's when the thirteen personnel took off and the talking points and all that. And I mean it's even funny looking at the roster. not only did they draft Max Clire. they also brought it's like, all right, so one, two, three, four, five, we have six tight ends, which is usually plenty for a team in training campps. Some teams even have four or five. and they then're like, okay, it's bringing two more undrafted free agents to. So so Gee, I wonder what you guys are going to do this year U And like you said with the tight ends like Colby Parkinson is the guy that makes it go the former Seahawk because he can block. he's a good receiver., just such a good player. it is going to be cool how they kind of move everybody around Ferguson is going to be the big play threat. Claire can become that as well. But yeah, I think thats just maybe just a little bit a little more fragile, even though I feel amazing about. I mean, I was doing the stats too Every stat you look at first, first, second, first, first even red zone. amazing in the red zone. middle of the pack third down. But then Sean McVeigh has now become more aggressive on fourth down. He is twenty nine point two percent. He went forward on fourth down, which was the six highests in the NFL last year. H first year as the ramshe head coach was at ten percent So even he's that little thing that used to be kind of McVeigh's kind of Weirdness, like kind of old schoolness, he's kind of even adapted that way. So this is not that I'm super low or anything. That's why I said it's a clear top two and it's like a one A one B ust a little I just think there's some areas of fragileness that I just kind of wantna ay here way in here my answer. But Adams seems interesting, right? Because it got brought a lot in the draft when they took Tysimonson instead of adding another receiver. Devante Adams is over, you know is the wrong side of thirty. He had the Hmmy last year, which you don't love. And also he had like maybe unsustainable touchdown rates inside the ten yard line. I don't know. But I actually wire homebown race. Yeah knowatch a touchdown, okay Um Hi there's a little bit of that concern. You know, the receiver group is not deep either, but I do think McVeigh can scheme around That don't know if you can scheme around a tackle injury. And I think that's the one thing I'm eyeballing or a potential suspension, right? Eric Jackson, who's their left tackle, just had another incident accusation of domestic violence and he has already had one suspension earlier in his career. There was an incident last year that I don't believe resulted in a suspension where he was accused of filming a woman without her consent. And then this is another so there could potentially be punishment there. I always hate bringing these things up in the context of the just pure football ramifications. I bring up to say, if he is out for any period of time Um, This is not a deep group at all, right? Like I was looking at the line and they did draft Kegan Trost in the third round who I don't have takes on Do, I don't know if you have any a project you type. Yeah, and it got some size and stuff too ye. David quest They dropped him in the proper spot. thir Yeah Qionred in, you know, quite some time. limory plays on the inside, so you're a little if feel okay there, but U Yeahah, and you know, the thing I'll say about Matthew Stafford is last year kept clean. thirird EP per play, first and yards per play, second and first downright, pressured twenty third, twenty fifth, twenty fifth. So This, you know, it's like You just It's one of those things It's like great. Oh, that's awesome. way to go Matthew, But also is that sustainable? One of those hits one helmet in the wrong spot like all Yeahah, you brought it up. He got hit forty five times, when he got sack nineteen. Great like that's awesome that speaks to his quarterback play. He still got hit that many times. Yeah. And again, those things add up. And the other thing too And this is again, a compliment that you can weigh, you know skew to a negative, which I will hear because we're doing this. they had the best rushing success rate, period, the new millennium which is also weighed into my MVP discussions with May and Stafford. but we're not going to relitigate that. But er incredible pressure attack. Yeah. Also they you know they didn't face a ton of light boxes because in part because of the heavy tight end usage Yeah And then they attacked aggressively off that. And like the meta of all this like Mike McVeigh's on top of it and I could talk about even more on that, but the it's hard to sustain a forty nine percent to fifty percent rushing success rate. It just is. evenven if you drop off to forty five, which is excellent That's still a couple runs a game. Like those just add up over time. It's just hard to sustain But no, I do think in just even more point to a favor of what McVeigh being on top of the meta, always just adding, always changing, tweaking. going from Zone to duo, Live in persononality thirteen is that They were extremely slow last year. They didn't run any huddle Um or barely any no huddle and really the NFL league wide is as slow as it's ever been because all the motion and everything. I wrote about this, but it's the longest time of possession play in NFL history it was last year So it's the longest time between place and Who does McVeigh hire even though he's part of kind of their little frat pack that they got in this coaching ranks brings in Cliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury is all about no huddle, all about tempo. And I just I wrote about this and I just think that's maybe something teams are going to poke at because that's one thing I noticed with the Seahawks You're always kind of betting or you're always playing and designing against who won lastast year was the Ceahx Wh the CAOks doing? All this safe coverage not safe coverage, but too high coverage. Hey, you're going to have to attack underneath. We're not going to let you get explosives They actually has you could get after Mint Tempo just a little bit relatively. They go from first to like sixteenth. So I'm just curious if that that's something I'm keeping eye on is how quick the Rams go this year. Somet somethinghing he did early in his career McVe did and wherever they taap back into it. So that's one of my kind of trends of the season I'm really watching Yeah, and like to be clear, like we're I'm poking holes because they're one You know, it's not like I mean, I can tell you I be to me. It's crazy like it's the season the couu ahead is kind of going to be I wt say forgotten, but like Obviously, he didn't win off it I voted for him at Robins Ber the year and the team fell short at the very end, but like it was not just unbelievable like production but his continued development as a complete receiver, I think is something it maybe a little bit slept on I Yeah so just to put up on the Rams. I think it might be the best virus you've in the NFL right now. So Just in terms of the conuctness of his game and everything he brings to the. So I just It's and the combination of the quarterback, the play caller, the receivers, Adams was so good last year when he was held like it's just very hard to me, the only thing is like the offensive line is like the What do it call it the hole in the Dath star? Yeah likeike the one thing where you're yeah, you're like if this if you get If either Jackson is out or Mcleon goes down the worite And's reallyd it's hard big against them. I really I guess you know they have been aggressive season, but they did give up some of their draft capital with the Miles Garrett trade. So that could be, you know, just something They did they did somewhat inhibit their ability to be aggressive during the season as well. So I just that's you thing then Fors a move, ye I mean the defense might be go so good it might not none of this might not matter. Okay. I know. You went the Das Cowways number one. So after we said all of that about the r talkalk to me about what what was it for you? And I had them five. So I have as a top five office. I'm obviously very high on them whichich I think is about what they finished last year was like five in that five to seven range in most categories. Why do you have them number one? Because this is largely a team that's running a back And that's why I'm excited is because they I think will benefit more than others of running it back. Sometimes that's kind of we're talking about another team about this, but sometimes it's just kind of like, oh, really, you're not going throw a new blood in there and they inject it there for them, it's like, well, they face some health issues. you know, Piggs miss some time at times O Line at times got battered and but they just kept on rolling because they have Not just like answers to the test with Dak back there, but just receiver wise, it's depth Like so if George Pickenss on the outside, CD Lamb and then a guy I'm very high on Ryan Fluorinoi, the receiver three. he can comp play to the outside as crazy random game last. What was the game where he had like a Yeah, he had a jets game where we went nuts and then he had another game where he went nuts later in the year. But it the City lam fantasy owner who just needed like one point from him I was watching that dying all sorry. I'm bor. happppy for you. every dy Cil Lague. I'm excited. No, but he it's so it's just the weapons, Jake Ferguson at tight end. and it's not just Jake Ferguson then they have other auxiliary tight ends like Brevan Span Ford best blockers at t end m the league Lague Soonam makers, whatever, but he's a third tight end. so they don't need to rely on him Jvante Williams, they like more than I do, but he had a great year last year and he's perfect for their run scheme And really we just talk about O line. They have some depth like where I'm kind of squint at a little bit as well. They drafted Drew Shelton, but they also have an offense line coach in Clayton Adams. He's offense Cordiner technically. But I think he's phenomenal. And I think he should be a future head coach. He's Yeah, he's been amazing. And so Then you got Brian Schottenheimer, who I don't think anyone has grown more in my mind and grown more in respect for me than Brian Shanheimer since he' become a head coach of Cal. He just how he answers questions, how he goes about things, how he communicates to players Play design Like I I've been extremely impressed. So that's really doing a lot U They like of course, I've always been pretty high on Dak Prescott. I consider him a locked in top ten quarterback, but I can see his comfort in this offense. It's that perfect blend of Schinheimer getting to the stuff he wants to get to and then Dak on third down and getting to do Dak things and being the sheriff and controlling things. And then on top of it, they just got weapons. They can attack vertically, they can attack intermediate, they can attack underneath All three receivers are good blockers. and I know that sounds o, whatever. Well, the run game's going to cook U So even with Jvante Williams who, I consider more of like above average to good running back, it really doesn't matter likeike running back depth is their biggest worry for me as opposed to all line tight end or receiver or quarterback. But last year, third and scoring rate, fifth and success rate, fourth and EPaper play, second fewest plays that they they face the second fewest third downs because they were so good on first and second down They can throw out a full backack out there, Hunter Lepki, who I've always been a fan of They can go twelve, They can go twenty two personnel. They can go eleven. They can just do a little bit of everything. And I think last year was just kind of the taste of the Adams Schotttenheimer offense. And I think this year, it's like, okay, here we go. This is what our real version of this is. and I just very, very excited about what they can become because also I talked about the tempo stuff They were tapping into that last year. So I think Sonheimer has got a good pulse kind of the meta of the weeague. and yeah, I'm just very, very bullish on this team As infuriating as this also was as a lam manager at times, I was also really impressed by how they used George Biggins and kind of unlocked another level of him as such a complete wide receiver. whereereas in Pittsburgh, I think some of the usage of him was a little bit limiting and a lot of that had to do with the nature of the quarterbacks and the quarterback play in general. the play Yeah And so like I'm very tempted to just say like, picking lamb, like what, you know littleittle bit of hesitation because of the pickings of it all though, which is to say playing on the tag. don't know what that means necessarily, you know, like for in terms of both his availability and what we see and get out of him this year because last year he was so good. And if you could guarantee me we would see the same version of Pickinens that we saw last year And I think that it's not an unfathomable possibility not just because of his talent, but also like I said, because of how he was used I would be very like I'd probably have them top at least, but I If you give me a teeny bit of hesitation? Oh get. And then the other thing that gave me a little bit of pause, was the line as much as I lik them and they're young and ascending There's cur a left tackle competition between guys and Nate Thomas the fair point? Yeah. because Thomas played well. Like if you watched it, it wasn't he was an amazing pro all pro, but it wasn't like a It wasn't like maybe the bears at times where it was like, oh I know when Bennet's in there. Yeah, if I was like, you know, it's something like that and passast protection, it's just it didn't feel like a total Yeah, D start there' more like a C plus B minus, which actually Not bad And you get to play next to Tyer Smith and yes, you know the inter is so strong. I thought Booker had a great Rokie C youo. So I think If you if you can just get average left Ackle play, it's pretty solid U But'm glad I'm really glad you highlighted Schotttenheimer and Clayton Adams because I think that was This offence was just really fun to watch. know, I had talked about the way they used picks. and you talked about like all the different personnel groupings they threw out. I thought all of like the motion felt very purposeful watching this, both in the past game and the run game, especially the past game. So like I just I think u Schottenheimer and Prescott seem to have good understanding of he seemed to have a good understanding of the quarterback strength, but also the ways in which she can improve this offense and the fact that they have continuity going into the season is pretty exciting Yeahah, you summed it up perfectly. That's it's just and again, I might be I am discuss doing this where I' say, Hey okay, keep going there But I rewatched a lot of their last games and I was just like This is real and this is like real good stuff. It's not just gimmicky, it's it's no, they change the game plan every week because Press Scott can handle it. And with that just the multitude of weapons, like Fignight could be a real good number two for a lot of other teams and he's there three and he can play on the outside. So even if Pickens is loses his head halfway through the season.ike Fa can hold the gap, you know, if C L misses time Fa can kick inside because he can be a power slot. So I notot to make this a fry and fluor nite pod, but that's justs like extend answ isn't you don't need Turban be your Right cor. Like he can be like a a gadget guy and you could you you could put motion, you can say, you know, like just U An ability to pivot I think it's very similar to the Bengals in that having an elite wide receiver one to one A one B is always amazing. But if you have a barterback who is aggressive and just wants to throw the ball down field out of the gun the way Prescott and Burrow do. It's the value of it is like amplified. It's kind of like how we talk about weirdly having a really great running back is actually more valuable if you already have a good offensive line. Yes. you know, that force that's how I feel about these receiv. It's exactly the way I feel about the Bengals. They're such similar teams to me I mean, honestly, like after when do you say that to? Like you texted that and it's like there's so many similarities even quarterback wise, like Prescot and Burough play more likeike than people really hundred percent like And they're out same Yes. They're the of these offensces are not like this that we're going to talk. They're some of the last guys that actually control things on third down. and when I say control things, they have the right to change whatever they want. And there's not a lot of guys that do it. Eon Roders wants to do it, but he doesn't handle protections. These two handle protections. like that's a rare gift that or a rare thing quarterbacksays there's more that people realize they do it. Josh Allen does it. Mahomes does it But I think those two how they act so much, but also Those receivers, they face the top two amount of cloud coverage, cover two cover six, which is usually a receiver indicator because they're scared of beaten over the top. It's the Randy Moss rules And number one is the Banggals, N number two is the Cowboys and makes a lot of sense why? And both of the run games are like actually fine, but because they so many of those split safety looks. they they both have like top ten efficient crushing attacks. just have to punish it. You don't have to the best run game ever. You just go, Oh, you're going to do this. Here's yards We can rip five yards on there. Yeah even like I'm like Yeah, Chase Brown's good. He's fine. you know, like it's good, you know? I mean, that's how I feel like he's fine, goodood enough. Okay. so you had the okay, so we got to speed up a little because I Well those those two teams I was I'm very excited. I probably had the most notes on those two teams because I was just excited to talk about the cowboys. I really am. I know I know everyone rolls their eyes about cowboys talk, but man, that's they're doing they got a really cool team this year and even if the if the defense is just average Average This team could do a lot of things this year and I feel crazy hyping up the cowboys like that, but here I mean, like I said if you can guarantee me you get the same pickgins. it is It's the second best receiver duo in the NFL, I think behind Jason it's. It's. Be I like pigs a little more than Higgins and I like chase a little more than Lamb. so it's kind of like That's's Th those are one and two. now that the eagles have been sweit up And then include Ferguson in there? like just think pass cedgers. It's like, yeah, I mean, the compies are loaded. Okay. Number two. So I had the Rama one, you had the cowboys one and the RamSa two I added a two, three, four that I kept switching up Here's whoet Bills They were four Yeah Um Here's my thinking. I'm Another seem. So last year, the bills were top four pretty much everything topop four and DVOA third and EPAaper play Very obviously dominant run game. It's been the case for a minute. very and just no matter how you size it stuff It's funny because we look at so much of the similar stuff and I just and even how you just shortthanded that, that's basically what I did. I just go, they're essentially top four and everything. My case for the bills is this was at two And we you know, Jack Hown doesn't need to be addressed here This is already a top four offense with those receivers They now you sub out some those Kean Coleman targets and you know, some of the random Brandon c. okay. poor DJ Moore And hopefully a full season of Josh Palmer who was banged out ball of last season You drafted Skylar Bell, who's a player I like And otherwise, you're largely running it back outside of David Edwards party the guard Bank I think the DJ More trade They gave up too much for him Doesn't matter for this exercise. He is undeniably an upgrade for this offense U This is an offense that face the Josh Allen faced the most man coverage in football last year U And you know, their numbers dropped off significantly against man versus Zone. This is why twoud play band. He also got this is correlated obviously to the man numbers. He got blitzed at the ninth highest rate in the NFL last year And he was below average in QBR against the Blitz, which just doesn't seem right for a Josh Allen offense, but is very true And it was below average against Man to. Dig youore last year obbviously, and we can talk about that But if you go back just a couple of years to twenty twenty three, He was fourteen yards per rout round against man coverage This in twenty yard plus yard catches. If he can even just be somewhere between twenty twenty five and twenty twenty three, I think this gives them an answer to the problem that plagued them the most last season. And again, this was already a topough four offense. So. I'm just going upgrade here I mean, essentially my notes are the same thing. and I lied. I actually have them third. U I screwed up my own notes. But I had them third, but why is I kind of got to the same thing and even mentioning that cloud stat again, this is a team that faced the lowest amount of cloud because no one respects their receivers If you don't face any cover to and no man, a bunch of man. Well, they're just going like, yeah, we don't care what you're going to do against us. Yeah. And that's where There's the you know, there's the pairing of Joe Brady to with DJ Moore Panthers Days. you can get to that argument too and For whatever reason, not for whatever reason, but with me and DJ Moore, I always kind of like remember those days maybe better than the bears days because it's just how he had to play and what he did there. and it was a lot it was a he was like a true ex even if he's not like built like that. U and it was a lot of stuff down the sidelinine I've always thought his ball scills were good and he could win against press. I always thought that was something So many It was Sam Darnal fade after Sam Darn Fade all the time. And I mean, even yeah, I just remember that launch balls, launch balls launch ball U I mean, I know that was like six weeks was dermal, U, But I do think that and a lot to us go I know. it's I know. No, but it's I just picture with DJ Moore. So his verticalness on the outside, which is something that Josh All has missed. It's just that I've always pictured the ball winner, which is the classic T. Higgins type I' George Pickinens type Those are guys, but DJmoore has been able to fulfill that and DJMooore's also been really good on screens, which is also something that every coordinary hass really had has gotten him on, especially in Chicago, no matter who it was call in placeays And I think that's significant because if you look at the bill's offense the last few years, that's they run so many bubbles, so many screens. It's part of their run game. They'll do it with D't Kadeazing on them. Sak is amazing. no matter what, everybody can do it That's also why I likeked Palmer when they originally signed him, even if he's an axiliary guy because he's a good blocker So it's okay you could bubble and he could block for you up front. So DJ Moore who's good at that kind of stuff. I mean, he's had thirty nine designed runs since two thousand in his care some from twenty eighteen just to twenty twenty two. that was in the Panthers land. I mean, he's had a lot of design runs. It was a lot of verticalness and also just a lot of yak And it's this is my Crap to not crap. kind of theory is I don't think it's even theory. It's I think it's just a law. It's that I think DJ Moore is going from D Keyan Coleman who I could say like a D D plus to DJ Moore who whatever you want to consider him, he's at least a B Yeah. I would even say better than that.. And you don't have to have an A plus add. We don't have to always get AJ Brown. You don't always have to get the top guy. If you just get prove in the area of your weakness Man, that you can do a lot that just shores up so much. So Im I'm sorry. Oh no, I was going to say have one more thing about DJ Moore, you know, just and the absence of like a good perimeter reliable because S is their best receiver, right? And he's the slack guy. I am I really like D Kincade. I think he has the potential to be one of the best items in the NFO N not clean tight end, but I want to revise what I said there. As a pass catcher, I think Yeah, there you go. He is, you know, in that group, I'm trying to think who I would even compare him to.. My point is having an actual ex receiver who they trust could also allow them to use more twelve thirteen even. Yeah. No Yes. And this is a good tight end group, right? And it's interesting. I talked a little bit to Anthony over at cover one about this. Yeah. the bills like twelve and thirteen numbers were insane last year, but they didn't use it a lot. And you know I think one of the reasons and Anthony and I talked about this was just the makeup of the receivers, right? So this could potentially also allow the offense to be a little bit more multid dimensional in their personnel usage. And I think could let Cancade shine u, you know, from the slot himself and because he's, I think, like I mean, up to this point, he's been the only guy who could be M coverage on the entire team So Now if you have potentially two of them and you can have them in the field at the same time, this solves some of the problems that we talked Yeah, it's just yeah. it's basically donon't let the Texans do what they did to us. That's what the bills are trying to build here. It's like just yeah,' Yeah, o so I want a couple of like little stats also too just Josh Allhn took a lot of sacks last year, which was interesting. Lamar took there Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he took forty last year and thirty eight two previous seasons combined He lost two hundred and ninety eight yards to Sackax last year and two hundred and fifteen total, the two previous years Um lowest rate of throws of ten or moreore air yards was last year or at least low since twenty twenty one, which was the last time though. Bills made changes at OC, because Brian Dable moved on after twenty twenty one But also that was the last time they kind of Re They fix their offense. That's when the whole tight end adding to tight ends, investing in the run game, investing in the offense line. That's when they went out and got the two offense linemen. That was the last time they kind of hit that crossroads. I'm curious again, if they felt that last year obviously they did But I think that's going to see where this kind of like the changes come from like Sometimes you need those negatives face or at always like we need to add this to kind of just reshift everything that I think they're going about. He threw the receivers at the lowest rate of his career Threw it shortest relative to the sticks of his career, one yard short of the sticks. It's a donkey. I know. You just feel like, o, no one's open, no one's open. just do something. I'll just take a sack. Yeah. I'm glad you mentioned that because it as efficient as the offense was, that was It's a different thing. Yeah. Yeah. and the Bitz thing is interesting because I did notice the Oline continuity was one of their that was kind of their secret sauce the last two years. They've had so much worry about that Yeah That's one little thing. Edwards is a very smart p player. not just I'm not saying because he's a former bader. But he is a very smart player and they were getting some I'm glad he brought the Bitzstat because that Those significant to me, watch the Falcons game The falcons to pantced them I'm telling you him and Lamar had a lot of the same weird issues last season. It coming out of their like unbelievable heater year and that was both was interesting to me. Yeah U I mean Allan gives you such a floor, like it was funny. was looking at there their like s second and Th in Red zone last year and Red zone something that isn't always sticky year to year unless you have an actual Buffalo a quarterback in which case you're always stopped out just looking like twenty twenty four. there were second. twenty twenty three. there wereick just you know, they're always going to score a lot once they get If I had to do concerns, rightankular, offensive line, you know, loss of a guard, it's not huge, but this was a very like great point of the continuity Oens to play calll, become the head coach, you know, always something you got to monitor. Okay teacher. You still call them plays, even though they brought in Pete Cor Michael, but yeah, it's So let's keep move in So I had u Rams Bills, you had cowboys Rams bills. My number three team is the San Francisco for niners, whereere you am forty niners, I gave the honorary title of tenth. Really. Okay, good.ion. Okay, so I'm way higher than the nineers than you. I love it. Yes The Nineers. Top three offense last year despite the fact that they were hit by A hurricane. it would ca it substation storm U despite the fact that Mac Jones played many games for them and played what honestly, that was actually one of the reasons of all these teams I was like, who could lose a quarterback and still have a top five offense. I was like, San Francis I don't think there's another one in the top seven or whatever that I felt that way about. No. The Okaykay, so you have You added, here's one of the things that I like about the Niners. So one was that they did it last year despite the injuries, right And while I am a little bit nervous about George Kittle coming back from the injury, and that's a big one for me, I love this receiving group right now. mgain big stribbling gu stbl stribling gual. I actually ab so poor man. Like I that's my thing. likeike they're kind of weirdly deep again You know, I know Mike Evans is getting up in the years and Gristen Kirk's older as well, but like You drafted Stribbling, who we can talk about. Ricky Pierceol I think Whenever he playays Anthing about Looks good at He. Yeah Um Oens of lines is the same. so, you know And then it's Ka Chanahan. L I Kahanahan could call a top five offense I can't belie you have a tenth. That's crazy. You have a Can An offphin's tenth, Mike Like I know. I know and it's really Th might be a little I should maybe say like eighth I should maybe say like eighth, you know that maybe. What's the lowest Oense and DvOA C you talk about why you have them there? I'm gonna to look that up right now because I know they were second last year. With all those injuries, everything. they did face an easy schedule, but that's what DVOA weighs anyways. But any keepking talking about how you have them I'm going to figure out what the lowest lay off with the forty nineers and again second DA third and waited. Y Mac Jones steps in. They don't miss a beat even though the offense change Kendrick Borne is starting games like he's number three at the Cardinals this year thirird successor eight eighth and EPaper play. Just The kittdle thing is a little worrying to me because that's a late season Achilles injury. And they rely a lot on George Kittdle not only just as a receiver, but as a blocker And I know that stats got shared endlessly about like his on field off field splits and I can share him again, but essentially they went go from like a not great run game to a great run game when he's on the field And last year though felt kind of weird was that the run game overall, even with Kiddle out there, wasn't the typical Shenahan extravagance like it Yeah, it was ten they should Mike Run game, which is speaks to how well I think Purdie plays in that offense play in the passing game and how they can just cook no matter what. But also it's just kind of a little bit weird because CMC is going to be another year older. And it's a running back that just took three hundred, I think four hundred touches U and that's the history of that's not great. E if CMC is a freak, E if CMC trains and does all the things that you want to do. it's just what he can bet on time, you know, and history or, you know him just being an outlier. He could be an outlier, who knows But there's just that thing where it's some of the things that are their easy buttons just seem a little harder to me And while I do love them adding Mike Evans, Mike Evans has missed timee They have just it's again, a fragile kind of ecosystem for them right now. And Kyle Shanhan, no matter what it's going to have a top ten offense, top eight offense. like I understand that. But it's just one of these things where it just feels off a little bit this year. It just feels like the those things that they usually can rely on are going to be lesser. too me, that's CMC and kiddle And I think kidle because of the injury and I think SMC just older. So that's why I just kind of knocked down little where when you look at like on off and the like in twenty twenty when twenty twenty four was when he was injured, they fell to like ninth because he they he is really was the catalyst that kind of created this new of Nineers football and with Kylehan An and even last year when he wasn't that great running the football, what he does is a pass catcher in the way he compromises defenses. I think that's what I'm wondering Nate is like even if he's not as effective on the ground, how how long can he be this dynamic as a pass catcher. I think that's kind of the thing to watch. I really I think that they What we have seen is He is the one guy you can't take out where or, you know, they can't suffer By the way, I forgot in twenty twenty, so six years ago, it was the Nick Mullins CJ Betod year because it was brought up I forgget it wasrought a lot because we were like, S J Gplo the biggest is a totally worth the contract is look what they look like with Nick Mes Um But like, you know, Mat Jones was so good last year I'm not It's fine. L I don knowt He can perfect stop anything. And that's the thing with Perdie.'s like that's why I was always so glad I was brognostic and didn't like bash him or get too high on him. It's like, I think he really has grown as a player. I do too. Gu guys that push the ball and scramble, I mean always like have a fand this for L that those guys are the one that that kind of one too I'm always going to just be high on. But just even bringing up the kittle stuff Last year when he wasn't on the field. Dead last in yards per run, three point four yards I know that's just one step. I just bring it up If you just look at as my son my son didn't like that stat, I can hear him. U They' dead last in Red zone efficiency when he wasn't on the field. twenty one percent. That's that's a calling card for for Kyle Shane football deead last explosive runs they were twenty seven explosive run or russhing success rate, but they were still second and passing success rate when he wasn't on the field. So I'm interested in seeing so because even the niners, even though they weren't great running the football last year because obviously they play so much they have used chck on the field so much They still faced the lowest number of light boxes, highest number of stack boxes in the NFL. They had they were number one in success rate versus single high, which again, that's literally been the identity of the Snyerss offense I wonder at what point defnces comfortable respecting the Grnd game a little less, you know Like what point or defense is like, you know what? runun the damn ball. likeike Yeah, because there's you have that carved up by this team I guess the Seahawks are a you would point to is that has been kind of the kryptonite of this version of this current Mike McDonald Sahawks offense or defense pardon me that's good at stopping the run with light booxes. U Yeah, maybe three is too high now that I think about it. I tend tends to So I probablyably like six through eight sixix through eight feels comfortable. Okay. So it's likeashh hand's going to have a tpped offense. I think that's one of the biggest locks you can always have every single year. You can just always say It doesn't matter who the characters are It's just when the characters are good, you see the forty nineers from what twenty twenty three You sufficiently made me a little nervous about this. All right. so you I went Rams bills Niners You went cowboys rams bills. So let's let's let you go next who So we're we're both. This is where I's a top I all over the place on this one. It was like, how much do I want to argue for a point here? How much do I want to argue for something against it? A I I'm still deciding between two teams here I'm I'm going to go with I'm going go with the chargers Oh. I know. Really? I know. Mike McDaniel plus JH. J outside the top ten. Okay. All right, cool. sweet Really? I thought everybody would be on board with this one. Man. D cs coming off of serious injuries, Don't love the receiving group. D't like How much I was just like how much Mike McDiel? How much is the Mike McDaniel effect? Like Yeah. My counter is Mike McDano has faced some pretty crappy lines and some pretty crappy lines and he's had some less than ideal skill players and I would even say less than ideal quarterback. And he still cooked top ten offenses and explosive plays really changed how offenses attack. I really do think. so many you have copied what he did with the emotions and everything. They really have. and I know now everyone now defenses have have new rules against it Um And I know the offense of line. Like trust me, I've g back and forth on this, but now I would say in the last month, I've really just been I'm seeing the vision U, So first off, let's start with the negative the whole line Oline health, tackle health Pire B shining, really liked it Also one of the sneaky awesome signings of the off season and what the hell Great signings bards though who' l this them? And they drafted Jake' slaughter. Who, this one was so hard. I really like Jake Slaughter. He was one of my highest rated centers And they're like yeah, he starting a guard. We're playing a guard. I'm like And he's never I mean, I think he played barely any guard. I want to say like onene percent of his stnaps are at garden college. Maybe never U so That's a little confusing. I do like that they have centered depth. You like Cold Stange No I kept staring at the deckstard and I was just like, looking at the interior that ofven lers. I know I like Cole Strange in the run game Not the past game. I'll put it that way. That would be my complent complimmentary way of doing it. If healthy, which is always going to be the if there. So and I can't use that as a negative for the Rams and then just go like wave it away for the chargers who's actually handicapped for years and years and years I love the investment of the Tight ends, Charlie Koolar and David and Joku U I think callar caller callar I mess up his name every time. But I do think as a plus blocker This is something the chargers haven't had X amount of years, pick a year. I think since I've been in Mediia since twenty twenty, I've been talking about the lack of blocking tieens for the chargers. So they finally got one and then two and Joker is a good blocker. He's transformed from a receiving athlete into a good guy good player that can play in line and getting outang gold on top of it So I wrote about this, but the early down running back runs to the outside. I know that sounds niche, but just stick with me here So first the second down, the runab backack has it is it going to the outside The chargers under Harbon Roman the last two years, Greg Roman, they were twenty eighth in success rate on those runs. The Dlphins under McDaniel, second. forty one percent. Second most Russian yards, second highest explosive run rate And you can say, Oh, they've had Davon A Chan who's very fast and I would counter The best runs for Maran Hampton are outside runs where he can play his foot and just good player. You saw when he played last year, you saw. Yeah I've been weird the discussion about him' been weird. Some people thought he got over overdrafted, which I don't agree with. I thought that's right in the range. He should have gone. you know, whatever, run back firsta. You you can do all that ate first early second grade He got binged up last year. The offense line was a train wreck and he still was like expl I think he was eleven in yards after contact last year. And if you look at everyone above them, all the stars U and I even talked about the quarterback, which is really the driver of why have the charger so high. but The run game is going to be so improved and I think why I'm arguing this is Mike McDaniel. whyy I am arguing. It's not just why I think. is Mike Mandano has already shown that he can run a good offense with offensive line injuries. Greg Roman has never been able to do that ever U and that's some bullishness where I think the floor is so much higher even with injuries that we expect to happen And then I can get into other stuff, but last one with the run game stat Dolphins over the last two seasons had a explosive run rate on outside Rons ten point seven percent seconds Last two years, the charges had five point eight percent, twenty ninth. So it's just creating this more favorable situations where you don't have to rely on your S tier quarterback that can do so much That's what's doing a lot for me. because I know Justin Herber can do. I really do. and I can talk about that. It's the run game that has to carry this, and I think they will And I think that's why I get so ased. Borderline irresponsible think Lad McConky is going to look more like Jalen Waddle in this offense then what we saw last year from Lad Mcony Yeah, which was a stepback, right? Yeah I think back to some of his flashes, his rooie season running with the catch and runs Ball in his hands, working the middle of the field, the toughness, the surprising burst N's not surprising, sorry,on't always A sneaky burst. Stereot and it really does kind of make me think a little bit in the dolphins offense. And so I know I just said like, I don't know about this receiving group, but I think Now that I'm thinking more about McDaniel and And also just the way. I mean, theyre the receivers are going to get so many one on ones because this is a team that's going to li in heavy, as you said, with the tight ends and the full back. And so there's just going to be massive big play opportunities, I think U that's Maybe I should have them in the top ten. I had them outside because I looked at the interior the offensive line and I said no. I said Slater at all coming back from the injuries. I mean, this is Slater second. you know, it's just Beache is doing a lot for me. Even if Beiach is Center fourteen You know, center twelve in the NFL. it's just I can't get over how bad Bradley Boseman was. like That was really It was like jail breaks up the middle every time And it was really And he seems like a great guy and I don't want to like do pass a guy I've never met, but it was like it was really obvious to me and Like Greg Roman's going out there and going like he knows the entire offense. he's a coach on the field. and I'm seeing so many mental busts from the center. going the wrong way, sliding the wrong way. And again, I don't know gamepl stuff, but over time I can start figuring out who the issues where it's coming from. And that's why I was I want to give Bachu yeah, another badge or two, by the way, Bos so we just to talk about these guys. I to do quick pressures in the I want to isolate it by gap because there's o yeah That'd be really useful because there's just no way anyone face more than And I think you're right. I think you're absolutely. And so this my final Herbert stack because I haven't mentioned the big dog really is that Shannon offenses, they thrive in breakers. That's the joke in brereakers and breakers in breakers. the Yakff in brereakers. That's actually why I think Quintin Johnon too could be interesting because although the rightway routes off G goodood with the ball He' best on the run Abreakers for the last two seasons. seasons. Justin Herbert has the third highest rate behind only Brock Purdy, Du and Jared Goff who loves to rip in brereakers. He wass ninth in EPA for drop backack on in breakers. is all neion stats two seventh. This is just the past two seasons T of though. And what I would say his down years High's first down rate when throwing inbreakers over the last two seasons, fifty one and a half percent. Herbert was at forty three percent. And I think Herbert's way better at throwing those just because of his arm. Ta hasn't touch and everything, but Herbert can rip these. So it's just again things where it's just I see the vision And we haven't even mentioned Keep Mitchell. Another speedback in the back. You love Keep Mitchell, I know. I my dynasty team. I'm hanging on. I are. I you know because we have sorry, a little dynasty aside and I know we need to speed up. We we have a two quarterback leagues so I'm holding onto the quarterbacks for you just never let them go because you never know, includluding Derek Carr And I called I did the spepelling bee with the great Paul Effler who works for Fresno State And I to him that and he thought it was so funny. And he told Derek Carr, he saw a couple weeks ago. and he was like, you know, there's somebody who really wants you to come back because she's holding onto you under her dynasty team It's like I have a couple like that. Mike holding ono Darren Waller, we're speaking of dolphins h worked out for me. Yeah on it team. it was good. Okay. I'm gonna rip the bandid. I had the Patriots before Oh, okay Iam Kight So Basically this is their stats are awesome. Yes.s are We don't even basically two competing forces at play here, which is last year's schedule AJ Brown Right? Because basically this was like the best offense in football last year And and by the way, in stats that count for opponent as well. and This was obviously, you know we talked about this a lot in MVP. The slated defenses that they faced were actually not the worst in the NFL It just all looks really bad in the playoffs and we can get to that But My feeling is when I think about the ways in which this team looked bad in the playoffs and there's many ways offensively, HJ Brown really does hypothetically solve a lot of those problems Guys getting their asses kicked to the line of scrimmage in phs U Guys not winning at the catch point, guys being in the wrong position Um guys getting like who Drake May can just immediately botball to versus the Bitz and under pressure. You know I've mentioned a lot of AJ Brown. every I'm sure you guys have all heard his st with manan coverage and Tight Windows and all of that somethingomething I thought notable over the last three years. And with AJ Brown, I use the last three years because he's a veteran and last even if you go to last year, they're still not terrible. They're just obviously the whole offense was kind of gross But on throws under two and a half seconds AJ Brown Zero percent drop rate Second in yards per rout run fifth and first downs on throws when the quarterback was pressured secondcond first down, second to yards perout run And here's my thing about AJ. Even if he's lost a step and I think you can that's a fair debate to have He is still incredibly valuable. in this offense because of the contested cash ability and touchdown ability as well. So I just feel that this was the best offense in football last year, even though schedulees harder and even though we saw it get a little bit exposed in the playoffs They really made a strong counter move to mitigate that regression. Even Ajri Brown with a step back or a die cooke AJ Brown, which is I feel like I have to trademark not trademark, but I feel like I'm just going to be saying that the entire year. It's like Contract so and so. Contract year, Jordan Davis was another one I had recently. But no yeah, Di Co G J Brown. he's still faster than any of the starting receivers that the Patriots had last year and more explosive. And Kyle Williams, you know, without him, but he was just essentially run go balls and that's it as a rookie But even on top of that, Romeo Dobbs, who I love that signing. I love the signing Romeo Dobbs even before theJ Brown move. Totally. But it's like amazing. They compliment each other so well. They're perfect. I know AJ Brown. They really do. AJ Brown runs in brereakers, runs vertical. and Romeo Dobbs runs outbreakers.ing. Yes. It's perfect. And so now Okay, whatever with Stepan Digs, like okay, Pop Douglas can be his kind of slot vertical guy Mat Hollins could be the dirty work, physical guy. It's a lot better running those dig routes with AJ Brown than Mac Hollins. Ke San Boty, one of the most improved players in the entire NFL last year can be your number three And now all these guys have inside outside versatility, you know, that's something that's huge. They can go into heavy personnel. This is nothing the Patriots Day. They signed Reggie Gilliam from the bills who my nickname for him is he's the rug that tied the room together. That's Reie Kelliam. That's what he did Buffalo and that's what he's gonna do in New England U Josh McDaniels is going to run a lot of twenty one sets, but now they got a guy that's a little bit more dynamic I love the Julian Hill signing, but he got hurt. I know excited about that. Underrated like what it's big ls that is. Yeahah. So annoyed. so annoyed because I was so excited just be like, S, look at this blocker. But yeah, but they did draft Ei Ridan, who I really liked out in Nordre Dame in the third round and he also could play in line. Yeah. Strick May, Strick M and who I think of as I really already think I know I'm aly H him, but I think okay, this is the best offense of football last year and they subbed out the receivers for AJ Round and Romeo Dobbs. How are you And Drake me No, actually, not what I've really thought about it. Maybe it should have been higher. I know there's a couple that occurred to me. I was like, is there any assistant coach of the year that's age worversse? Well, I You know, actually now I'm thinking on it. now maybe I give some of these other NFC North offenses a little too much respect I should have flopped them out. But anyways, but o even God now I'm just really hping up. Now I should have him like fifth. All right because like even this, Jared Wilson going the center. love that. Like that's I likeed them coming out of Georgia Concerned about the left side of this lane. I will say Verucker Ver tucker who's gray when he's Lie. U I do but I do think the L Lomu draft pay gives them a little bit of insurance there. that's and that's another thing too is Yeahah because if Veritucka gets hurt and this is Will Campbell at left tackle might not be for long long term, you know, but this is why I liked Will Campbell as a prospect. He's the best five enabler If he if Vertucka gets hurt You could in theory, I'm not sure if they're going to do this, kick Will Campbell inside the left guard and then have L with left tack. likeike they could. That's the versatility he provides. You always get your best five out there Morgan Boses goes down. you could put l right tackle, etcetera, etera. So I Theol line isn't perfect. I don't think Doug Maron' great. I thought he got really embarrassed last year in the Super Bowl especially. I really do and I'm going to keep reitering that tntil it catches on because it really was embarrassing about the pass protection plan. But I think they're learning from that. Really the Wilson move was indicative to me that they were really reflecting on what they had. They didn't say, hey, this was good enough. let's run it back They said, no, no, we got to get better. So they moved on for Bradbury at moved Wilson over. So yeah. Hey Vverde Tide Spain, by the way. justust got a notification. That's crazy. Shadow K Verde. Tide That's crazy. Spain. Wow. Wow. second second smallest team, I think. Spain Zero zero did they put all they we could maybe we could even do a revised list at the end because I think I know like the problem is kicking teams out though because like this is That's what's hard like the chargers now, you convince me in the chargers, but I'm like, who the heck do I kick out? All right, so I did my top five to re mention them again. I went Rams, bills, Niners, Patriots, cowboys. You have cowboys, rams, bills Chargers Who is your fifth team before we take a break Detroit Lions. They are fifth and a One of those where its it wasn't as bad as you thought kind of years when I kind of went back. I reviewed them I was just so down on their offense of Ctinir hire last year, like extremely down and kind of was right about it. and I not don't want to like spike the football or anything, But then why I'm higher on him maybe than others is I think Drew Petszing is just we're talking about DJ Moore. he's likeJ DJ Moore of OC', I guess. But or he's just going from bad to not bad. So this is why I'm high in the lines. They regroup the whole line Sy Kade Mays, who I think is solid at the very at the very least drafted Blake Miller who I'm not always a fan of kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Okay, put Pennyool left tackle, then Blake Morrows right tackle Sool has the athleticism and it' played left tackle before. So it's not a to wholeal new thing for him. I think they will miss Daveid Montgomery and passast protection. These are just little things. Gibbs has improved a lot there, but watch those Vikings games and Brian Flores targeted Jamiere Gibson protection. So just things intten up But This is last year where everything didn't go great seeventh and DVOA waited Six knee paper play this this is kind of like the niners, right? They're very s to me where it's Yes the team where there's you can poke so many holes and then you look at the stats and you're just like, oh it didn't matter. Yes you have this group of skill players. and you've seen the highs of it. So you're like, do that again. And so even when they're just good, they're very good, it seems worse, but then you're like, oh, that's top ten still. They just're ranking the surrounding cast. This is still top five, Lee White. the best And for me, it was the offensive line that ultimately because totally get it. The last year Jared Goff went from I talked about quick pressure rate between the taglos. that again, this would be great for golf as well in addition to herbt. Gf quick pressure rate and quick pressure rate is, you know, it's not a perfect stat because some of it has to do I like the style of the offense. I find it to be a pretty good stand in for quarterbacks in hell. Jaroff went from the seventh best meaning lowest quick pressure rate to sorry prm me. I have the not wr He went from twenty sevens in the amount of quick pressure faced in twenty twenty four T sevenths highest let felt like that It felt like that. Yeah. like And I look at this group and Me, I think can give you at least average center play But like there's so much uncertainty. got sualed. I think he'll be great, But then Mahogany kind of took a step back in then ratledge. You' too we'll see like Miller's a rookie. like there's so much uncertainty and youth on this offensive line right now. No, man. I get I get nervous. I And yet, even if the if the Oins line is the same as last year, like you said it, this was still a top ten Oins last year. Right. Like how much can you really ding them U I don't know. I got to. Let me pause. Yeahah. Okay, to isolate petsing for a second because you mentioned you feel that' upgrade Um, you know, the Boom came off the roose a little bit with him in Arizona Do you feel that that was just more about personnel in Arizona, and do you think he can because he was being talked about as a head coach candidate for a minute there after year one with Tyler And anyone that kind of has listened to me or knows my stuff, I talk about the Cardinals way too much because I just thought they were interesting for the first two years under Ganon I thought part of that was what Nick Raalls said on defense, but also just what Pating was doing on offense And really some of it might have been Clayton Adams, which also led to my cowboys discussion earlier, but that leads to maybe what happened what went wrong last year. First off, they no running backs. They all goturt And this the Cardinals were trying to be a run first team. That's what pessing is. him is Stefanski Kevin Stefanski runs similar offenses both kind of offshoots of what they ran in Minnesota. They're like their own version. It's like a hybrid of everything Um But anyways, they But that's another thing is Drew Petson worked with Hank Fray, offensenseive line coach for the Lions in Minnesota So they have some familiarity And so losing Clayton Ms, I did think hurt them more than I expected because they went to an offense line coach that came from college from Ohio state and usually there's a big adjustment period for new offense line coaches from college and boy was there with Arizona I just thought the run game fell off completely. I mean, there's more pressures. There's just a lot of botches on that offense and then Kyers When he's not feeling comfortable, it turns into chaos and it devolved from there Having said all that Like Drew Petsing, this Cardinalss offense from twenty twenty three to twenty twenty five. I'm including when it doesn't matter who's starting a quarterback. I'm including Jacoby Percent there I'm including the pastronaut What's his name? Dobbs in there when he had to play for him There was seven in the Russhing success rate, twelfth an overall success rate fourteent and Eosed playerate. in twenty twenty four, their' eleventh and DVO way So why I'm not saying that he was doing these amazing things. They were top five offense, but what I'm saying is he wasn't as bad as I think this reputation is making them out to be. And I keep saying this that it's I felt like the linions got on base with this highire as opposed to last year I was like I think Moran's good. Yeah Pitssing I always think the floor is high and that's where the skill players come in. That's where I'm Ra Staint Bown comes.'s where Jmi Giibbs comes in. That's where shoot, even Isaac Tesla I'm high on. that That's where Sam Laaporter comes in Petsing has shown that he can use tight ends. so I'm not worried about even a Laportigan usage So there's just a lot I like where I think he wouldn't be a good fit for everyone But with Dan Campbell over him with Hank Fraley insulating him. I think Petsing is good enough that that's why I feel good about where the lines are. They Again, it's going from bad to not bad for a lot of the weaknesses of last year. and I think play callaller wasas that for some of the year until Dan Campbell benched the OC last year. Whenn't did he bench him when was head again? He punched him re prettytty early. But yeah, not Yeah moving them around. But yeah, and that's and again, there's weird things with their stats last year. like their fifth and exosive play rate twenty first and Rushing exxplosive play rate. I That's what you mean. Yeah, I know.' somethinghing I highlighted because yeah, right, hold on and this was that was something that really jumped out to me They had like S a low number of explosive runs, sorry. Yeah. But the Jamir Gibbs in as your running back. That's weird. and the Cardinals with James Connor from twenty twenty three to twenty twenty five were fourth I really that is like an extension of the offensive line because Derred Gaslow averaged up the target made everything feel so congested at times. Yeah.. And I think Um Yeah. I mean, that had to have been the lowestabled target like Jared Goff's lions career as well. hopefully they can change that U All right, take a break come back and we had to a little bit faster because it took a lot of time. but six through ten after the break. 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Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different. and Messi only trusts Duracl MLB.v on ESPN is your home for every ao market game, live or on demand Cetatch your favorite teams and players, plus MLB network and ESP and app features like multiview, Sncing your stats plays, betets and fantasy All in one place. Sign up now for mlB. Tv in the ESPN app. Separate subscriptions required blackouts and other terms apply, visit stream d. pn dot com slash mLBTv for more information All right, we're back. I texted to you I said about this team, I don't even know what to say about them the Cincinnati Bankles. And I don't mean that in a derogatory way You have them sick I' been six. I'm sixth. He first met. It tles. we know what this is gonna be. Joe Gerbough's gonna be in the gun. It's going to be like I it's, you know, I think u it's Let's start with this isn't different, but I think and you said this and I echo it The offensive line is very different from it's funny because I Je had that quote about like this is the best team I've ever played with, right? And it's hilarious because it's like The twenty twenty one year twenty one defense was clearly better. However, it's the best offense, I think that Joe Bero would ever. He's like, I actually know my lineman's names like that. And the line is a big part of the reason why becausecause not only have they have finally succeeded in turning it around, they've also got depth. I think that's what I was looking at the chart. I was like, Oh, you know, like so you know Brown Junr., Fairchild, who's, I think, a great story for them. a guard Carris Riser Mims, but then behind them Connor Lou who they drafted this year at Center as a potential Ted Carris successor. Brian Parker the second. They added some young players who I think if there's injuries or some of these players struggle Cody Ford's been you know, not great, but that's his experience. likeike I look at this group, Nate and I feel like It's absolutely good enough for Joe Burrow and this passing intack to be as good as it's ever been. I agree. and and I can get maybe into more blemishes, but why I'm high on them And I have kind of said this maybe the last year is that I think a lot of people maybe didn't pay attention to how the Bengals were operating last year. and I think it's because the run game wasn't explosive. you talk about Change Brown But that line was pretty dang good last year and very efficient and very sound And that's that's something with their I like their office line coach. Scott Peters is his name. He's a homeom said Brian Callahan, a Bill Callhan disciple U and I can see some of that in the run game But he all the players got better last year. A Marius Mimps, their former first rounder, right tackle. He's starting to tap into he has legit all pro upside and he started to tap into it last year. and it was healthy,, which has been a big thing from college and into the pros And so you got him, you mentioned a Fair childild who I liked coming out of college, but I thought it was more of a project type And I was like Bingles with project types Yeah, But he actually right away was I should should say right away. secondecond half of the year really, really played well. And so the O line being solid at the very least. there eleventh and Sac rate. This is just the last six games when Burrro came back since week thirteen They're eleventh and Sac r right. That's more than fine. Berl takes more ss than Whatever reason every other quarterback Never gets that sacer Sack r applies to everybody except for Joe Burrow apparently. but they let him kind of it shorted up. like the sacks were more like, okay, understandable, a guy just losing opposed a guy just going the And I think that usually is conducive to more longer term success. But why I'm bringing that all up is we know where the strength of this team is. It's Burrough and it's the two receivers And they're going to chuck it and chuck it and chuck it and chuck it until they can't They face the highest amount of cloud coverage, cover two, cover six easily and they've been like that for years now Why? I'm very curious how this year is and why I can maybe get over the top. Paying against like Burroughs got to kind of get back to being maybe a little bit more aggressive Be against cloud against that cover two against that cover six Very short The cloud coverage though, and I was just I was curious because I'm watching it like they face a lot, but I never feel I feel like now they should have better answers and I'm actually kind of I think teams are just going to lean more into it. And I just looked at this stat wise and I was like, oh, okay, match what I saw in Ie test. Yeah. So this is just the six weeks with burow. twenty six knPA per play when facing Cloud when they'd face any other coverage, They are fifth in E paper play twentieth and success rate, seventeenth and passing, which you would think covered too, that means Burrows just going to nickel and dime seventeenth in success rate Fth when facing anything else Their fifthP or I mentioned the EPer per play. They went from five point seven yards per play facing any other coverage to five point one which is twenty fifth Explosive play rate goes from ten point three percent to six point six percent, almost half Which makes sense with cover too, but With those receivers and really just with Burow, it's like you make them predictable And so that more than the undernders center, more than the play action, that might help with it They They gott to throw some new spice in there. And that's really the thing that keeps me from getting over the top with them. One thing they tried to do a lot when after Burro came back was heavy tight end usage Yeah. it was Yeahah, it was. So and it wasn't great In fact, so I was interested in that because yeah, I was looking at like A lot of Burus neverers after he came back. and you said, you know, decent amount of set he had some interceptions too more than usual and so Um And one thing that immediately caught my eye was that they had a forty percent too tight end rate U Now some of that was in week fifteen and week thirteen. T Higgins didn't play. So I think that naturally. But even games where he didn play, it was pretty high with you know, Gessi who' more of a glorified receiver and sample and But then the numbers with the titans were awful. And so then I kind of dug in deeper to those and it was really because he took a lot of sacks and he threw a few interceptions and also They were like abysmo versus the Ravens Ebody's forgotten I get you the twenty four zero game But I do wonder with Eric all potentially returning and seeing what because he when H rooie season, there was a moment where it looked like this offense was going to change with him on the field and then he got heard and then it kind of just went back to things. And I do wonder if he's healthy, if that's something they dip into more as a change up to get out what you're talking about, like to just try to face a little bit less cloud. And I do think You know It's needed because yeah, this is still a very it's always going to be a great offense But defenses are just so keed in on like stopping Higgins and chase at all costs They do need a change of And and the running in the running the ball is more just, okay, we can get on base, but it's like they need something they need something else to provide pop if that makes sense other than go balls to Higgins and Chase. L they just need or Chase taking a five year under out to the house. Like And how other teams have been doing that is running the ball and hopefully getting explosives, but also dig routes. There's just other parts of this offense that can be more conducive over routes stuff that attacks more in the middle. and just get stuff moving as opposed to the kind of more staticness. And that's some of what Burro likes But there are drawbacks to that, especially if no one's kind of breaking a tackle and creating those explosives. But the tight in points great because Drew sample Kazi Kazi iss a Gorifide receiver, but all Tanner Hudson. They've done some they try to do this with No of fant when they try to move on move on with him or move to him and try and do some like full back looks out of it and stuff and off, you know, full house backfield stuff. So maybe yeah, that's a great point. on Guty brought that up, though that they might tap into that again this year, but Yeah. good offense, just need new answers Yeah, I mean, it's six. It could be higher easily. I also think they could benefit from being better game scripts if the defense is average. and obviously that's where they invested this off season. All right at seven I feel like this is this teams not going to be in your top ten Oh I've got the greeny packers No I do. I have the packers. I have them at eight Yeah I can NFC North kick my ass, man. Well, that's I go back back NFC North teams and I can figure out which one. the other ones just there just sp. Yeah ye. I went well, let me see. I have the bears at seven So right aad Okay. yes, I've all have seen North. I like mixed it up a lot. All right.. And there's one more team on mine that we haven't named. so But let's talk about the packers. I mean, first of all, The packers are kind of also in that category of like, wow, a lot went wrong last year Look at the stat, waiting vobin. And it was like they tailed off that an day last year, fourourth and weighted DVOA. Jordan love the starter for this team. They have ranked six, fourth, and sixth in the UA Set your clock to it I think there's some reasonable nerves around the offensive line, which we can talk about And the loss of Romeo Dobbs more than Wix is one that I do have my eye on But I still really like this gp I like this group of pass catchers, man. L I The news that the I was a little bit holding out until I received the news that Tucker Kraft is full go No problems. week one And once I got that, it was like the green light for me to like five. Oh, you're working out, running on a treadmill? Okay, okay, we're good. I think' have forgotten how dominant he was before he went injurred. He got hurt last year Um, but also like Grishian Watson and it's funny because they paid Watson and Reed I think I talked about this with field potentially, but Watson's like the on off numbers with Christian Watson are crazy. Like this offense with him is a top two offense since he's come to the league. Obviously there is injury history there that's concerning, but he is such a natural pairing with Jordan Love's skill set as a quarterback I think if he's not on the field, you do get a little bit worried, but then and it's also just like the combination of Watson W Reed and craft and their yak ability is Gods energy Perfect. It all perfect. And then you have Matthew Golden, who like Hey, the end very end of the season looked awesome. So maybe there's something there. I mean, clearly, they think so, right? So I just I do worry about this offensive line. You know, everyone knows how I feel about Je love I just feel like There's weird, there's' always more u skepticism around this offense that's a little bit that that is unearned when you take a step back and look at what it's accomplished I feel like the discussion about Jordan loveove kind of sums up the offense too. It's like everyone thinks he's that's worse than it actually is. Cstantly about him. Yeah. And it's tough too because it's like even for me' I understand sometimes with like, okay saying Justin Herbert's amazing and you look at stats and it's like, okay, I get twenty second in this and twenty fourth and they're not winning. They in love stats. They're insane They're insane. He's one playoff games, one playoff games on a road. likeike, you know, and and I think there's I understand that his interceptions are the, I mean, it's like the video game burnout. It's just the craziest crashes you'll ever see in your life. And I get that I understand the Panther' interception where he's running to the left, throws it all the way across the field. It throws one of the worst interceptions you'll see. But it feels like all the good never gets highlighted Yeah. Yeah. And and I was going back and watching Christian Watson when they did the contract and I just went down like a Jordan love rabbit hole because I was was Christian Watson are . Steelers game was one of my favorite QB performances in the entire year And I think he completed like eighteen in a row or something ridiculous. and Out routes to Romeo Dobbs all day againg, set your clock to it. It's amazing, but I losing him because I do love those out routes. Dornl. I know. And I'm trying to think I think Gold might be the guy for it now. Yeah And It's just love plays quarterback how people say they want people to play quarterback and then they also just don't want to say he's good. And why I say that, I mean he's super aggressive the second explosive dropbacks last year and he's always going to be high up there. That's some of the offense, but You need a quarterback willing to do it. I could call all these plays, but if the quarterback doesn't throw deep, then it doesn't matter And on top of it doesn't take sacks. That is conducive to an incredible offense or at least passing game. in the run game, you know J J Jes is I think is and he has off field stuff too right now, but I think he's more just you know pretty good. The offensive line, I do think is more of a sum of its parts than any individual player. about That's their philosophy, you know, that's just how the packers build their teams. If you look at the Packers office line every single of them is built exactly the same Th six, three, six, four, three hundred and twenty pounds. O positions. Yeah. All right, well, let's talk about the offensive line becausecause this is the one thing that you have legitimate apprehension around Geord Morgan H primarily played guard is going to be the left tackle. He did play some tackle at the end of the. So I actually went back and watched so I want to talk about that in a second. Not bad . Banks, Ryan, who is another guy who's played multiple positions Belton who did play last year, and then Zach Tom, who's probably the best player on the offensive line at right time Okay, so on one hand, I'm like, oh, you lost Rashid Walker, Allen Jenkins, although he was injured, but then it's like o Were they that great? I hear. those n Lets know those names, but then you take a st, you know like cool. I. Okay. So Jordan Morgan, U playlayed right tackle versus Chicago thought he was good in that game, but Chicago Sorry, anwer just stink.ger He played right versus he had some nice reps against Mantas what I thought. U I think that was sweat who I was watching against. Yeah, no, it'se Baltimore. And then he actually played left versus Minnesota. which I had actually watched because I was watching Dallas Turner and Dallas Ter on one rep beats him so bad off the snap if it's it turns trly It's one of those like, oh, did you know the play that The ball of snap wents Um My general take on him though is that for the most part, he acquitted himself well, looked like he looked like a competent tackle in these games. I thought You saw his athleticism both in the past game and the run game. I wrote down foot speed, good. likeike he is he's light. He plays light Dan feel And I'm not like the greatest offensive line scout here. So I want to caveat so I was just watching to watch to get a feel for him. He was a little lungy And then I and then I didn't notice it. I went back and looked and he's got really short arms. I like willill Campbellish type. So I do think and that can lead to ludging. So I do think that is a little bit of a concern I have for him at tackle, but overall, I thought his athleticism is what jumped out to me and he did look competent against in those games that I watched I think he nailed it. I liked him coming out Arizona. I just never thought he could hang it left. I thought maybe he could stay at right because he play tackle in Arizona And I was like, Oh, he's like an ideal guard. Maybe you can play right tackle for you. You know, the packers is going to love him and then the packers drafted up. And I was like, o'll see. No I think you nailed it. I think he is at least competent. I always do think, yeah, you're going to get give him chip help against a better defensive Es and all that. You can't go isolated against those best guys. But if the guys just Solid or good, you know, that amazing? Okay, he can hold his own And they do so much play action and so much so many screens to help out these guys. So he's not going just have to kick step, kick step every single every single pass play But I think you nailed it. I think he actually was surprisingly pretty competent out there where I thought you might be a long term guard. I think Banks is That's the one guy I'm squinting that and kind of going. I know they paid him, but he's just been U So that's the one guy I'm kind of like just I'm not entirely comfortable with that they have there, but they're well coached The scheme does a lot to help them out much like the Rams offense offense a line where it's like as long as they're competent enough they can help put these guys in good positions. Join Lve has not taken seax no matter who's been blocking for him. that helps too It's really just a run game more that's more that gets affected more by this than maybe the la Graft on the field helps a lot. all comes out quick. I think the biggest concern about the pat is on the other side ofall, we'll talk about later, and maybe that could put them in some adverse situations early on before Michaah Parsons comes back. But yeah, I still feel good about this offense. I feel good about the skilled players. I feel good about the quarterback. Have you seen Watson stats though, his underlying stats? Ch Christian Watsonons? They' great tenth and first down perout last year, fourth and yards per round and third and explosives perout. He cut his drop rate, which was his biggest buggaboo And and Laflore loves him. This is Laflore's guy. And like that's why he's always getting chances and I he's Prove him right, I think. I think he's underrated an intermediate Like E everyone just thinks of him as the go ball guy and obviouslyes huge part of what he does, but I think he is really developed as a more complete receiver or Comfort in hands usually leads to inbreakers because then you're running over the middle and can snag a football and keep running. Yeah. And yeah. so I mean, Tucker Kraft, the wararlord, Jaden Reid and and Christian Watsonson top three. They really synergistically work. And then like you said you mentioned Jane Reid Jane reads a bonus olden, Golden. I say Jimmy. Golden. Golden' just bonus. Matthy Golden's just a bonus to. If he does anything. He like did nothing. and then in the last game, it was like, wait a second. Oh, the first round pick. eight that he had or something. He had one play. It was like insane yards after the catch where he just like exploded. I was like, oh my Godd If you had never watched until the playoffs, you'd probably think he was like the best person. This guy's just tearing it up the whole year. Yeah.. Okay. All right Well I'm glad my going back and watching Jordan Morgan was for a reason. I think I had forgotten that he played until I was like looking at the offensive line and I was like, Whord Morgan was a guard. Why were they comfortable? And then went back and looked and I was like, oh, okay. So I had Cincinnati, Packers at seven, you had the bears at seven and the Packers eight. I had the bears at nine. So let's talk about the bears next before we get to. I think We both have one more team? I one more team. And yeah, I think I'm think I'm set. but I do I might rerack mine at the end. You had the Patriots at nine or something nine. Okay. so you can remind me of who you had Okay, so I have one mystery team that we'll get to. let's talk about the bears. I move the bears inside this little range several times. I rempt reorddering Venesty North. I don't know.an Um Okay. So the bears off make an argument for the Vikings. if we really want to get frisky, IC North there's gonna to be nuts this year. It's gonna be a blood bath My question about the Vikings is like, is this finally the year that KFC has a top ten rushing attack? Because if so touch it last year I think they were finished twelth,, justice success rate was like I was talk time but DVOA was a little knocked out. Yeah. ye Yeah, but they there's the best that they had. Lowly improved every year everyvery year wants to have a McVigh, you know, Wan Jennings We're writning these a boarding gass, I mean, Jesus. know. Okay. So we win the power if we want. Speaking at boarding gass. DJ Moore is gone. So you're looking at Odunzay and Burden as your one, two punch with Cleliff Raymond But we know this is a team that's going to live in two tight ends, Lovevelin to looked like an absolute superstar at the end of the year. commit, they drafted Sam Rouse, She's blocking tight end. love that. Um Otherwise, u The biggest changes are on the offensive line, and that's why I pushed them down. It was the offensive line for me. They were a big heart versus head team Like it's I just so high onm Ben Johnson. Oh so good. And then also just like, but then also I'm like Who's starting at left tackle is it Rxon Jones? That's guy you guys were going. No way. He's not playing for us anymore. Can you come back for another year? can't come play for us for another year actually because Ozzie Tripriillo got hurt. So yeah, left tackle is a big, big, big, big question mark. They got through it last year with not great play there. againgain, that's where offensive system what Ben Johnson uses can really help those guys out get them on the move, change the pocket location or launch location, all that Bradbury is going to be a knockdown at center. Yeah. is not it Yeah, he's a below average starter. and again, that was a complimented to the Patriots and why I was like, actually I appreciate their own self scouting there But Bradby and they they took the guy from Iowa, Logan Jones which is kind of funny if they like didn' do bb and they just went Jones I'd like yeah, that's good off season. down I hope Logan Jones wins this job at some point because He's just can actually be a plus player. always say a good starter because Jones and Jones is a great scheme fit for Ben Johnson all the zone stuff that they run, any Iowa offense alignment is going to have their PhD in zone running under your charac Kirkference., But it so offense aligned changes and also they had a lot of health good health last year outside the left haack. Like the other guys were playing Jonah Jackson has faced injury concerns his entire career. And then now he's healthy. It's like, arere you going to bet on that again? Like as a betting man, I would bet against that. So just talking about depth of the old line is going to be the one kind of hang upp because they were so good last year. but You mentioned the tight ends, loved ones awesome, star, all that. Col Ced is perfect now as this number two who can block really well and be an auxiliary receiver Rch. There's not many teams that can trot out all three tight ends and all three are blockers and valid receivers That's the difference of them thir thirteen personnel, like the ranch thirteen personnel, which has, you know I mean guess Park they have like three Parkisants as opposed to Th Tererence Ferguson's. You know, that's what the kind of the bears are building right here Kill Williams ere did he end up yourarback draft? took him was high. Yeah. I had him I mean I had him high. I love Daylid Williams because him like he threw something insane. I think we had him thirteenth, I think in our. Thats I think that's where I had him. very high on him, but I think I was twelfth in my own my personal ranks. yeah But say he plays as the twelfth best quarterback. That's that's great. That's are going to be, you know, you're betting on the second half of last year, But this run game was phenomenal. They were explosive last year You know, was Eric Benemy a part of De Andre Swift's ascension last year and his vision improving to where he went from completely blind to actually pretty good. Kylemenun I mean Well was actually great. Yeah, I know. Yeah. Klemenung is a nice hammerhead. So they just have and even the guys like Klf Rayan, I know that's a Ben Johson favorite. He's a great glue guy at receiver because he blocks he gadget run or can go vertical can be a gadget guy So they just have a lot to like here and I couldn't get too low at them even if I don't think there would be a true top three or top four. I think pretty safe top ten. I have a question for you about the bears passing offense. So if you do like exxplosiveness and efficiency, right? L so EB every and ccessorate, But expliveness and efficiency The run game, both explosive and efficient in the upper quadrant They had the second highest percent of runs going for ten plus yards and they were like depending on how you slice it up, top and success rate as well passassing game Explosive Third and percentage of pass is going for twenty yards not efficient success rate twentieth or something Do you think it's just always going to be that way with Kayab Williams or do because if I think about like, what does it take for this offense to go from The second half of the top ten, the top half of the top ten because, you know, like we both have them in the second half of the top ten in my mind that efficiency of the passing attack has to At least get above average Do you feel like Kaylea Williams can get there or do you think there's going to be like a boomerbust nature to his style of play? That's always it's always going to be more explosive than efficient I think it's going to be more boombust with the offense and what they're kind of trying to build. I think this is somewhat by design. But I do think the success rate will get up there, but he's not going to be The hyper droopbery not a he's not even golf you know, who who' just a machine on the underneath stuffing the screens, but part of that is just the offensive system. and that's why it's been fun to watch Ben Johnson mold this offense, you know, like a symbiot going from the lions to the bears and the personnel was he went so screen heavy, so underneath, heavy, so many choice routes to Gibbs and S. Brown to oh, my quarterback can throw it eighty yards and my receivers are all big and could get downfield. my tight end I can split them out as a true receiver All right, let's go vertical. and Ben Johnson knows and explosive pllays,s that's it. that Eplosive Plays is what you're trying to achieve as an offense. So I think they did a great job of going like, hey, this is the highs that we're trying to achieve. Now it's filling the lines of a little bit more efficiency. And I did think Caleb improved in that area I thought he got a lot more comfortable on the throws over the middle I thought there' times he found checkdowns a little bit better as the season went along, especially all the play action they were running. But I don't think he'll ever be that hyper hyper efficient guy, but you don't have to be Because if you just hit enough home runs, your on your batting average could be two hundred fifty You know, as long as you you're getting forty eight home runs. And I think that's just part of the method of the madness that they have Yeah, I'm with you. I I think it it's always going to skew That way. Yeah But I think for that like if you can just get it from twenty to fifteenth in six, you what I mean? And then it's like all right, then we got like above average like a legit like elite offense. The other thing I have an eye on is whether or not the sack avoidance comes down to earth at all a little bit because he went from I made from an all time rate. he went from Zillion sacks pressure to sack ratio to literally the opposite end of the spectrum. that's so dramatic Do think a lot I do think he is always going to be better than he was his rookie season. I think it's going to be closer to what we saw last year because of his natural ability Caleb his natural not just the mobility, but the pocket feel. He's just one of those guys who slithers away from contact and he's that is who he is. And I also think they had an amazing offenseive wine last year I do think it's possible that we see a few more negative plays this year because like you said last year, it was just so crazy how he avoided sex. Yes. And I think there's some where And I mean this in the best way possible. Some of the bumps that he maybe hit last year and I would say maybe They played the lions at Detroit was maybe a game I'm thinking of. I always remember the Riders game being the game. I could feel really feel it turn the corner in the second half for Caleb. U But I do think that they're trying to avoid him going down maybe the Russell Wilson path in the sense where it's like, hey, it's all launch balls and scrambl And right now they're asking them to do the hard things. Go under center, throw over the middle, throw a timing. Yeah, it's not going to be perfect. but if we just get you above board, you can do the rest. I can't coach So yeah, and that's the thing. It's not going to happen overnight and they're not to run a lot of screens. There's not a lot of gimmys. It's just it's hard stuff, but it's kind of cool when you see coach ased that because he knows that that's the goal and like that's the ceiling. I'm not going to make it too easy on you I think if they were if it was still Drew Dump Butomin becauseough I hadn't got hur I would probably have them ish maybe Yeah, I would definitely have them a little bit. I think it's fair. I would think I would have them on top of the NFC. North. MFC nth. I would put themem at the top of this group. Yeah the Tropuo was good last year too and that's what stinks because they nailed that draft pick and he had a real injury. I actually yeah, So my final team. So let's can you redo your So okay. so I remember your top five, you went cowboys Rams. Y, Bills Chargers incredible. Um Five you had Ry' Six U had Bengals like me And then you went seven bears. ers nine Patriots Patriots forty mininers Eers on that. twow more that to me not to include. Well, so I will tell you now because I have one more, which is eight two just outside or three because I had the chargers. I considered the chargers. I had J outside my top ten chargers Jags I was so deated Jags just outside of mine too. And I have so many stats on the jags. I wast so much time and I didn't even We could talk about them in a second. most of the teams I just missed. I had the Broncos just outside the top ten because I just think this was already an offense that really improved a lot last year. and oh yeah, by the way, they added Jalen Wadle. Right. I know I actually might be too. Now I was gonna drink this one I have the Baltimore Ravens at eight. Well, that's who that would have been eleven for me. Okay. twelve would have been Jacks. Yeah. So a lot of uncertainty here New offense, newew offensive coordinator Declland Doyle I mean, so there's there's changes on the offensive line. The center is a big glaring Holy, this could be a disaster. I do think Gard you could have potentially an upgrade though. They have Yoane and John Simpson Deinitely. I think just got No, Jeip M Um changes at full backack, at tight end So you're seeing some talent walk out the door My here is largely on the fact that They have a top three quarterback in the NFL and when he's been healthy for an entire season, this is generally been one of the best offensces in football So it's a little bit just like it's Lamar Jackson, let's not overthink this. but it's also Ophens could really work with it And with Deckland Oil Mhm Big unknown Right. But if you think about everything we're just talking about in Chicago I really think It could help not just Lamar, but all of the other questions I have about the skill players and the offensive line. it's like This could actually help everyone else, maybe even more than it helps Lamar which is to say an offense that's more under center, more play action, more condens formation is more of the the bear style The other thing about Lamar, I'll say I am not worried about it like there's so many teams now around the NFL there are transitioning to this offense and we're like, well' it going to go with Jaylen Heur was going to go with Jan Daniels How it? I do not worry about that with the Marjson because We've seen him have success in pretty much every style of offense he's played in. The other thing I just Let me see how Lamar because we were talking about Daniels and hurts. Daniels barely play in her center, so who knows All don't when Lamar's been under center Over the last five years. He is First in QBR, he has a seenty thir under se Ply. Okay. on target. L like everything is incredible. So I just feel like the P work Am I right? Am be overally optimistic My and this is just me just cards on the table here. It's more that I wanted to talk about other teams more. And then maybe that's why that's the tiebreaker and why they're eleventh. you know, that's even just some of the things, but I'm right there with you. likeike I'm I've know nothing about Duckin Dooy. I know background stuff, but you know, you never know I love the offense of line coach they hired, who was doing great work with the Falcons. That's a kind of a sneaky thing too. peopleople can't tell like also had a big co sign on that one he's legit and as I remember his name off top my head, huh. But no, I do think that this offense at the very least like you can I know what Lamar is. I know what he is as a thrower. So even if he's aging as a runner and you could tell he was banged up last year. And I think that was Led to love the sex Oh my goodness. not me just. look at I was just even looking at some of the rushing stats. So design runs per game twenty nineteen, his first full year starting was seven and a half Rush desesign runs a game is two last year Total rushing yards game by Lamar, eighty a game in twenty nineteen. and that's just total rushing yards. twenty twenty five was twenty six and that is fine because it's passing and the passing game has expanded. But that is a big part of Lamar's value. But I do think that's why I'm not as worried of maybe aging because maybe some other guys like Rrosse bring up him even hurts if he doesn't kind of like some of the other areas he fills out his game Everything was banged up, it felt like last year. It just wasn't consistent but even the running game Running back, rushing success rates. So this is just running back runs thirty five percent last year, which is the lowest since the Mars min a starter, has never been below forty percent since the Mars been a starter. His MVP year is forty one percent So it's just more as just the run game of all things has to get back on you know, back up to snuff, notot the passing game, which is not where I think maybe a lot of attention is drawn right now because I know the receivers, it's not ideal I did like the Elijah Sarat pick. I think he's and they might put him at power slot, which I'm all fired up about. They drove to two big guys in lane and I feel like let you get out and see you.s Yeah, yeah, broool broken pool cue pool stick in there. But yeah, the offense line changes. Simpsons's a good player. I did like I ownA, but that's going to be something I keep my eye. a new offense coronator, new play call like you say gives them a floor Like my floor is eleventh You know, that that's the lowest I can get on a Lamar Jackson offense, even if I do have some questions about the personal re Again, to go back to like the underenter play action champance tree offense, like Lamars I've always felt at his best throwing over the middle of the field. Yeah I mean to touch and when he has had weird misses, it's usually outside the numbers. We're like, what's going on there Yeah. So you're if you're like asking him to get under center and you're going to dial up the play crank up the play action Like it off all of the offenses across the league that are making this transition, this is the one where I'm like, yeah This right you know, yeah, it's like I don't have to see it. I've seen it. I've seen it. You know Yeah. And like I've seen Munkin would run under center e formation with Lamar and Ricard and Derek Henry. It wasn't it's he's very and it's the thing with Lamar is that the footwork and everything is not picturesque. It's not what I'm going coach a high school kid. Like that's to me that's Prescott and Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins. Those are the guys I would teach a quarterback with Lamar because he's a freakaking can get away with it. The ball comes out on time, like his timing' great And I'm so gl you're thring over the middle. I'm not only one that's made this person. I think you have to H and Stafford throw more alike than you would think. They throw the digg routes almost exactly alike as far as just arm juice So that's why I think he's just going to age well. and I do think there's some real clean lines in this offense or a clean path in this offense, I should say, but The wrong games just got to get back to. Rong games got get better. The line has question marks. It's still the not best group of receivers And you know, losing likely, it's not nothing Eal card is interesting because that's he was just such a cog for them. you know's it's better with him off the field because he's a de factacto liman, but we'll see I think you want to I would take him over like if you know they were a team was associated with some skill players in the draft at that point. They could have add a receiver. would have been sexy, but Yuani was the right pick. It was I think like perhaps the most universally like yeah ye of the. Yeah And even like mock drafts I think we just kept doing it by Charles McDullan I and I was just like, I don't see this going any other way Okay. just to revit the teams we left out of the top ten. So I mentioned yes, chargers Jags es you talked about the charges at length Really cool at the Broncos I mean, waddle This is an elite offensive line M Now you're looking at Suton, Waddle and then or P Pap Bright. I love Pab Bright. I actually ye So for me, you know, I think you know, the waddle thing alone is enough for me to feel good about them potentially being in the top ten And if you know, Bone Ns can build on what he improved at in the second half of last season a little bit confused about the play callalling situation there Yeah, that's weird Um I know Did you have any other like doubts? Did you consider them for the top ten? I did, I did. there Yeahah, when I said that original fifteen or whatever I said they're firmly in that And it's not like anything overly bad. And I like the Watle signing too. It was just I think they had some luck with some of the stuff last year And so maybe it's just like it's like the Patriots thing where it's like I think they just kind of even out the regression, I guess is the way to put it. And even just like, I mean, underlying stats wise, I know that's just one thing. It wasn't like they were crazy good last year. I mean they I believe they were what their're tenth and weighted, but their fifenth and DVOA kind of more middle of the pack above average, but it's a good G old line, good offensive system. of course with Sean Payton, but now like you mentioned, new play caller with Webb But I also did like the run the run running back editions that they made, you know, Joonah Coleman, I think that's exactly what they needed Yeah. Someone had a great comment. I think we talked about him. He's they shout out. I think you should leave 'cause we're like, what is does he build like? he's a little tuna can? J just's like that's exactly what he is But he each other up Perfect tyy runaback for them. This is not to I'm not that low on them. likeike it's kind of similar discussion with the Ravens but different version of it, but it's like, you know, I'm not going to get lowered in thirteenth, I think with them. So it's a good offense, but I just couldn't get them above somebody el wants that to go aine f. Yeah. It's like whyy did I put the Ravens in eight and sit like the E Mar Jackson? That was the That does a lot. That doesn't The Jags in the second half of last season were second in passing EPA per play. Their stats are hilarious. And thirty first in rushing EPA per play and thirty first in success rate. they averaged three point six yards per carry So maybe Berkatire helps change that. Healthy Britain strange. But I really need this offense to be more balanced for to feel good enough about play. love designs of the offense, like one of my favorite offense is systems to watch just kind of like how Liam Cohen, those coaches get to everything and I loved how Trevor played last year. Jacobbe Myers trade was suly one of the best trades midseason trades we've seen sometimes just because of how everybody else Parker Washington, you mentioned strrange. they brought back Quinton Morris to help out run game to. I actually think Ton and Rodriguez are a great one too. And then L Quin Allen, who's a phenomenal number three because he's also amongst teams and pass production The line, I just That Yeah. So does a great job of mitigating not have he's, you know, he's a McVeigh guy G great job of mitigating it, but once you face the good teams, the good defenses and once they had to rely on the run game as as the season went along Just A lot of not just just stuff wasn't great, not a lot of movement, a lot of mistakes and that's why I just couldn't I think that's just going to be their bugaboo because they try to address it a little bit with preregnon I like notg. Yeah, that's a big one. Yeah the frg game was so bad that even though Literally everyone on Earth was screaming run the ball against Buffalo They got And even they were putting up like six yards of car But like you could tell they were he was just like, I do not trust Like it just And that builds my defense like You know, Nino could put up four yards carry on them U Anyways, I do like the jags, so I'm still exited too. Jagging it. I might have the Texas and AFC ser jag. Considering putting the jags there. I've been flirting with it 'use they're just so much more balanced than teakes sense to me. I kind of I think gun ahead I'm going Texas, but it's not like it's like an easy answer for me right now Uh any did you consider the Seahawks at all who finished tenenth. Seahawks were in there were taking away to DVOA last year. I think for them. Um, a little bit The offensive line, I have some questions about I think they'll still be pretty good though. I think it's just going to lookly similar to last season. Yeah, I did too. And But the thing was it wasn't like they their underwing they were good, but it wasn't like the underwing stats wereing busters. I know that's one thing that we're looking at, but that's kind of how I'm going to break these ties with that. You know, sneaky team kind of like sneaky list I had that I was maybe going to talk about. U I mentioned the Vikings as one as just like but then I just couldn't justify it. And you know I don't think the bucks are gonna to be outright You know, as bad as they were last year as s as they tapered off. I actually think they'll be Yeah, line should be healthier. everyverybody should be healthier. I actually like Zach Robinson. so I actually think that'll help too. So that they and kind of a sneaky team for me The Saints. Yes Love the things. I figured I'd to throw them in there. I uh Oh last week, I talked about watching Kellvin Banks Jr. and why he was my ex factor for the Saints. So I went back and watched the offensive line in the second hal last season. and I came out of that watch feeling pretty good. And then we talked about David Edwards who joins the Saints. couldould be a sneaky good offensive line. Yeah add Jordan Tyson who again going back and watching, there were so many reps I was like, imagine that's Jordan Tyson I think that's wor anyy separation, please. Yeah. All right, well, yeah, we'll get more into the saints obviously when I talk about the time . Also, Kansasy chiefs could easily correct the document. That That was my last one was the chiefs because I think I think they got chip on their shoulderes back and Yeahbody their old lines can be good. Yeah. so yeah. I think they got a chip on their shoulder too, the chiefs. They're they're I least Mahomes does, but Andny Reed just hired all the same coaches that he's worked with in the past and that's like, o. Be interest saying if the run game looks any different. I really am. They got the one guy that they needed. They need the ETN or Kennethaler. They needed one of those two. They're not the perfect backs, but they're perfect for what they Also Nay Taylor had a great article about Kenneth Walker and one of the things he mentioned was they were really impressed by him as a pass catcher. If the Chese can get back to having a even top ten screen game after the abomination I had to watch at times last year that to me would go a long way towards I missed doing we well because the Chiefs made a Sperowl every year. when I was with the athletic, we would have the beat writers from the athletic and it was like the Nate Taylor special episode. So I love my I love my Nate T episodes every every year when we got there. But no, it's a great I totally agree with that. And the one thing that they ofense needed is explosive runs because they've been two of the least explosive run games of the new millennium was the last two years Chiefs And now they get a guy that His visions If he What he can do is he can turn two yards into twenty And he could turn five into fifty and that's what they need. And he's good with the ball in his hands, so. Yes Yes, and that's what they need All right, this concludes our top ten offenses. I'll do mine again read them again. I went because I already read yours again. Rams, bills, miners. Now you made me feel bad about that You're too low U Patriots. I like how the disscent we had. Cowboys Bengals, scrolling, scrolling, packers Ravens Bears, lions. thoseose are mind. I'd probably put the Patriots at five if I redid this And I'd probably put the fourign Irers at like seven or eight if I re. I get those weregers in now because you really talked me into them, but I don't know who I'm taking out Right. and I don't know I'm not only included them. I put them at four. I I'm chasing the highs there. I'm totally chasing the highs All right, that was awesome. Go check out football three hundred one, wherever you get your pods. I am about to fly to France, but I will be back next week. to do top ten defenses with Ben which I have no idea who I'm going put top to. Well, I do know. The top fours right eas. All right, so we'll see you back next week. Thank you as always to everyone at Omaha Productions Herson Sbecky Owen Saylor, Jack Foster, Tucker Tashian. Also, if you're watching Lve Violin, you know I recaap that on my YouTube channel as well. YouTube d. com slash Aunic timimes, Poduse call view our discretion. See you guys next week