Super Wild Card weekend & Bill Belichick’s future I The NFL Report
Hey what’s up y’all Tory Holtz former St Louis Rams greatest show in tur you are now with the NFL report welcome to the NFL reports first edition Steve playoff edition James Palmer Steve whes with you on a Tuesday evening if you’re watching this program we have tremendous guest our Insider
Mike garolo is going to give us everything about the coaching Carousel that is happening right now is Bryce young helping or hurting the Panthers in their search and Jeff chadia will join us is Tua or Trevor Lawrence Steve worth a big contract we’ll find out also Phil
Perry from MVC Sports Boston friend of the show what’s happening in New England does Mike vel’s departure from Tennessee now play a part in what’s happening in New England Steve I’m very excited it’s Wildcard Weekend I’m going to be at Arrowhead I’m not excited for that part
Because it’s uh Dolphins Chiefs and it’s going to be about six degrees uh for me while I’m standing there on the sidelines well JP look you’re you’re gonna get a front row seat so to speak but a lot of other folks are going to have to tune in to the peacock streaming
App exclusively and coming up also on the show we’re going to have Mike North the NFL’s VP of broadcast planning explaining why this huge game between the Dolphins and the Chiefs is available only on a peacock streaming app Allen in the shotgun here’s the snap fires over on the right side and into
The end zone for the touchdown is Dawson Knox and the bills have the lead back to pass fires out to the left sideline and it’s intercepted by Taylor WP the Buffalo Bills steal the division title from the Miami Dolphins well look everything we talked about so far is big news but it is
Bigger news Tuesday usually a segment we assign for Mondays but we were kind of bumped back because Monday was a little busy yesterday so JP bigger news those Buffalo Bills rallying from six and six to win the AFC East or the Houston Texans winning the AFC South I’m going to Houston Texans Steve
I know this is a great story in Buffalo but they’ve had success success is a word that has not been used in Houston for some time D Ryan the fourth head coach they’ve had in the last four seasons remember the three seasons prior to this one nobody lost more games than
The Houston Texans they went 1138 and one and now they’ve won the AFC South now what this really looks like to me Steve spending time in Houston covering that beat is that there were fans and I know this talking to people in Houston that were very weary of getting back in
With their fandom they were burned by the DeShaun wats situation and now I believe this has solidified that you have a quarterback in CJ strad you have a head coach in demo Ryan that is building something not just this year but years moving forward and I mentioned
CJ stad he doesn’t deserve enough credit even though he’s going to win Rookie of the Year three players in the history of the NFL Steve had led the led the league in yards per game and touchdown to interception ratio Tom Brady Joe Montana and now CJ strad and I don’t think think
Either one of those guys did it in their rookie season so where this TEAM stands right now winning the division give me a number how many quarterbacks would you take if you were building a franchise over CJ stra wow you know it’s interesting I five maybe six five and
I’m talking about guys you know like Lamar Jackson like Joey burrow um there there’s just there’s there’s a couple other dudes you know you know my guy Brock py I’ve got a soft spot but I am taking CJ shoud over roock part you know Dak I probably would take Dak Patrick
Mahomes of course um but he is right in the mix but JP the bigger story it is the Buffalo Bills because think about this I mean we talked about when they were 66 people were talking about their head coach is sea McDermot being out of
There like he he let let’s get him out of here what’s going on with Josh Allen Von Miller what what what what’s the deal with him there was just so much chaos and controversy around this team and then that’s when you planted your Stak in the ground and said this team is
Going to be the most dangerous team should they get into the playoffs after they lost Philly and I was there and that is exactly what’s going on because they are playing a physical brand of football what we saw them do against the Miami Dolphins when Josh Allen was tried
To giv give that game away in the first half with all of those interceptions and the defense which was battered and injured showed up and they started running the football gave Davis the wide receiver at a FR of the show goes out with an injury Josh Allen says I’ll take
It and run it sneak big runs their style of football and what they’ve done is going to get them through the playoffs look they play host now to the J to the TJ wattas Pittsburgh Steelers we think Buffalo is moving on to the next round JP you called the most dangerous team
And someone is about to find out all right number two JP let’s get this since we’re talking about teams that were surging let’s talk about the team where the parachute hasn’t open when they pulled the Court bigger news the Miami Dolphins injuries and failures down the stretch when they should have clinched
The AFC East weeks ago or the Philadelphia Eagles who just seem in fullblown freef Fall I got to go with my hometown Squad Steve I think it’s the Philadelphia Eagles when you say freef fall they are the first team in the history of the NFL
To start 10- one and not win 12 games I mean this is a collapse at the end of the season that really has me shaking my head because if you ask anybody in Philadelphia if you listen to what’s being said out of the locker room you know what it appears Steve they don’t
Have any answers on how to fix this and I think that’s the scariest part about what’s going on right now the Dolphins even though they have all those injuries on the defensive side of the ball they still have Vic fangio running that group The Eagles wish they had Vic fangio they
Wanted Vic fangio actually maybe he’ll be back there next year because they’ve tried two defensive coordinators and neither one of them has worked out it’s a defense that has gotten old very quickly up front they’re not getting the pressure they did a year ago they need more out of their youngsters up front
And an offense that we know has ton of talent but man there’s a couple of injuries there that are holding them back there’s just a lot of questions with not a lot of answers Steve what about the dolphin side of things because I know there’s something you saw in week
18 that makes you think this is bigger news yeah I mean look the Dolphins to me are the bigger news their body language uh was just really bad once they face adversity and it’s not the first time we’ve seen it right once they get into a
Tough game it’s kind of like oh man what do we do you know the defense has been as bad as they are their defense has been holding up I mean you talked about Vic fangio they’re down so many Edge rushers that they just signed Bruce Irvin and Justin Houston for this
Playoff game at Kansas City I actually love those signings you know again we talked about Melvin Ingram we talked about Melvin Ingram in coverage and I joked he looked like the comedian Robin Harris chasing after bab Bay’s kids back in day after that’s exactly what he did but I mean
Just just the way their offense isn’t functioning and yes they can get Raheem moer and jayen wadle back and that is going to be huge but then they draw the match up of playing a great defense with Corners who can cover lerus sne should be all pro he’s someone who’s going to
Be a problem when Tyreek goes back to Kansas City where they lost early this year where that Chief’s defense by virtue of Trent McDuffy getting that fumble recovery won that game for the Kansas City Chiefs for as much as we talk about the chief struggles what’s
Going going on in Miami right now just doesn’t feel right not saying they can’t win this game but it’s going to take some special Mojo early on in two degree weather for them to get it going way to remind me yeah last JP get front you
Know you know you can watch it on peacock if you uh you know if you don’t want to have that front row seat in the no I I’ll Brave the elements they’ll be El they’ll be streaming it in the Press Box last one this is this is this story
Here though it takes two hands to handle this burger right here bigger news Matthew Stafford and the Rams going back to Detroit where Stafford is just a legend where he really made his Mark in the league or Mike McCarthy going to are hosting the Green
Bay Packers where he won a Super Bowl is Dallas with that number two seed tries to advance to an NFC Championship game man I think about Matthew Stafford going back to Detroit I think about the ratings during that Ram Super Bowl in Detroit how everybody was watching and
Rooting for mat Matthew Stafford to win a Super Bowl but I’m going with Mike McCarthy against his old team and the Packers you know why Steve because I don’t think there is a coach in this postseason that probably has more eyeballs and more pressure on them than Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy
Think about this they are 8 and0 at home this season you can’t lose your first home game of the season in the postseason to your former team Steve what would Jerry Jones do if that actually happened we know the attention Dan Quinn is getting their defensive coordinator around the league in these
Head coaching Cycles right now we know the way Jerry Jones feels about Bill bellich yes we do could a change possibly happen in Dallas if Mike McCarthy doesn’t win this game against his former team against a quarterback in an offense that is playing extremely well Jordan love is playing out of his
Mind right now or playing exactly the way they planned it right who knows but what what he’s doing is he has explosive plays at times he’s been down receivers it’s been fine and to games they’ve been able to sustain drives to not let the other teams offense back on the field
Steve right now Jordan love this season he did something that Aaron roders and Brett Favre did not do in their first year as a starter in Green Bay he took his team to the postseason he’s thrown for more yards he’s thrown for more touchdowns he’s thrown for fewer interceptions that’s the player Mike
McCarthy has to beat with everybody watching him in Dallas well you know his his quarterback Dak Prescott’s playing pretty good football right now but outside outside of Lamar Jackson who’s going to be the MVP there might not be two hotter quarterbacks right now than Jordan love and Matthew Stafford this
Has been this has been the most overlooked story in the NFL this year how well Matthew Stafford is playing yes we’re talking about puka AA and Cooper Cupa Matthew Stafford is the reason why remember last year he had the show the the neck injury he had the elbow injury
He just didn’t look right they thought maybe he was done and he has come back and played revitalized football he has been just in incredible and the Run game with Kiren Williams helps him but the reason why this is so juicy besides him just returning again to where he became
A hero in Detroit is the ties between this game Lions GM Brad Holmes and his assistant GM Ray agnu came from the Rams staff you have puka AA going against family member pan Su we have so many cousins ties they are cousins we have so many ties
Between these teams Jared gof getting a chance to get some get back against Shawn McVey and the team that sent him to Detroit he should be grateful for that instead of being angry for it because his career has really blossomed under Ben Johnson and that’s the final
Part two potential head coaches on this field with Raheem Morris the DC for the Rams and Ben Johnson the OC for the Lions facing Glenn’s getting some looks too though facing off that’s right Aaron Glenn getting some looks also well JP you know the biggest conversation we’re
Probably not going to we’re going to be talking about it for a while is Bill bich the Patriots coach who is the greatest to ever do it at me if you think otherwise but coming up a friend of the show Phil Perry from New England
Is going to give us more on the latest at the NFL report which by the way also is a podcast welcome back to the NFL report James Palmer Steve White Once Again with you with an old friend of the show I got to see him in person recently and it was
Tremendous Phil Perry he sits top row of the two-story Press Box in New England I’m not entirely sure because the angle’s not great up there Phil I don’t know why you like CU we always are bending down all the time to see everything you don’t see the the big the
Big new screen from up there why do you like sitting so high uh it’s really a lack of self-confidence James when I get to sit up high and I’m I’m a above everyone and I’m physically taller than everyone in that moment it just makes me feel like a stronger better person so I
Think that’s the reason well Phil speaking of having like that that authoritative that authoritative posture we know bill bellich has had that authoritative posture in New England for you know a couple decades the situation there now I me we know it’s it’s undecided whether he’s coming back or
Not but just since you’re there if you could tell folks do folks want him back is there a feeling that he’s wanted back well I would say if you’re talking about the team you’re talking about ownership my understanding is that they have been leaning in one direction for some time
Now and they are leaning hard towards parting WS with bill bich when it comes to the fans Steve I would say somewhat surprisingly although I understand their reasoning too it is relatively split we ran a poll recently in one of our postgame shows on NBC Sports Boston where it was actually just slightly
Above 50% of our hold contributors who want wanted Bill belich to come back despite the record this year despite how it looked last year despite the way things have been trending here in Foxboro but uh those within the team you know the the assumption is and has been
Really for weeks is that the crafts will ultimately part ways with Bill bich I think the reason it hasn’t happened yet is because it is complicated are they trying to get some compensation from whatever team bill bich is coaching next there are a lot of moving Parts here so
Um I wouldn’t anticipate we’re hearing anything on Bill belich for a little while I don’t think it’s going to be weeks but um my guess is nothing today okay well get back to Bill Phil Perry from NBC Sports Boston joining us our good buddy I just want to ask you
This Phil you did those polls there’s probably not enough time right now because this just happened to put a poll out there on what the pulse is in New England with Mike Vel now becoming available with him parting ways in Tennessee but overall right now when that news drops
What’s the buzz what’s your thought in New England as hey possibly Landing as a candidate for the head coaching position if they do part ways with Bill bich people here in terms of the fan base love Mike frel he was just inducted in the Patriots Hall of Fame obviously a
Three-time champion here defensive end outside linebacker inside linebacker at times touchdown machine as a substitute tight end on the goal line so you know people love love love Rael here and I thought it was interesting when he was here this was in October and he was addressing the crowd at halftime he said
We’ve got a go a game to go win it really felt like he was part of the organization in that moment while he’s still head coach of the Tennessee Titans he also pleaded with fans to appreciate what you have here because it’s not like here everywhere else and we all know
Things weren’t perfect in Tennessee um I wonder if Mike Vel is the kind of fit that the crafts would like to have in that head coaching role because they are if they and if they are parting ways with Bill bich do they want someone who wants a lot of control because even
Though Mike Vel wasn’t the general manager in Tennessee it does seem as though he he’s clashed with a couple of general managers there now and if he were to come to New England you know New England’s been a place over the last couple years where ownership clearly has wanted a more collaborative process
Between the front office and the coaching staff and Bill bich obviously is GM and head coach in one body here but they’ve wanted more input from people around bill bich over the years would they be getting somebody who is uh gonna meet them on some of those
Requests some of those demands I’m sure that they’ll have of whoever’s coaching the Patriots next in terms of being willing to collaborate and and providing the kind of transparency that I think they would like after Bill bich is gone that to me is a is a significant
Question because I think Mike Vel again I think he he wants to be heard he wants to have his say and he is even though he’s a younger guy and a very different personality from Bill bich he’s a little bit old schooled now you know I don’t think we’re talking about a quote
Unquote players coach you know so so would be some tough love continuing here in New England if he were the next guy Steve I just wanted to jump in real quick and ask you this Phil because I found it interesting you brought up him getting inducted into the Patriots Hall
Of Fame and I remember that game it was a byee for the Titans he sat with Robert Craft in the Box in Craft’s box a very rare occurrence for a current head coach to be sitting with another team’s owner in a box and I’m just kind of curious
When I look at that and it’s because of his connections to obviously New England do do the Patriots if they move on from Bill bellich do they want somebody outside of the quote unquote family um or or or they are still looking towards just you know what they’re used to
Because those are the names that we really only hear keep coming up it’s a fair question James especially the way things have gone here of late there is a section of the fan base that would say please craft family just clean house just get everybody out and start
Fresh unfortunately for them based on conversations that I’ve had with people who know the crafts and and understand their thinking and how they might go about this if and when they’re replacing Bill bich unfortunately for that section of the fan base I think they’re going to be disappointed because I think wherever
The crafts go next both at head coach and general manager it’s going to be with someone with whom they have a relationship they are in my opinion not going to be meeting someone or finally getting to know someone for the first time during an interview process and
Then all of a sudden give that person the keys to the castle whether it’s as head coach or general manager so whether it’s Mike Vel gerod Mayo to me is still the oddson favorite to succeed Bel Bill bich if the crafts end up moving on um
Or in the front office Elliot wolf is very well liked very well respected he’s the director of scouting here right now or Dave Ziggler who is now available former general manager we know of the Vegas Raiders he still has a good relationship with the craft family those
Are the kinds of names that I would anticipate they’re looking at whenever Bill bich moves on it’s so interesting you say that Phil because if they’re going to keep things the same why get rid of them unless it’s just kind of an individual Clash not I won I won’t even
Say Clash like like like a difference because if they’re going to stay in that lane then why get rid of Bill so that’s a fair point Steve what I would say is you are going to get something different if those two names that I just brought
Up that I I think are are pretty good bets um to be elevated again we’ll wait and see what the crafts ultimately decide but Gerard Mayo if you know Gerard Mayo couldn’t be any more different than Bill bich person personality wise now he obviously played under Bill bich he has now coached under
Bill bich for some time but I think it would be a mistake to assume that he’s going to handle relationship ship in the building the same way that he’s going to try to shape the culture in the same way that bill bich has tried to shape it
Over the course of the last two plus decades so you’re GNA get a very very different person a different coaching style and I would say even a different approach to Modern football with Gerard Mayo if he ends up being elevated and the interesting thing with Elliot wolf
Although he has been here the last several years in a couple different capacities in New England he’s really not a bellich guy quote unquote he cut his teeth in Green Bay and worked his way up the ladder there spent some time in Cleveland so he has a little different background than some others
Who really been raised at the foot of Bill bich and really as professional coaches only know one way and that’s the bill bich way so those two guys in particular I think would give the Patriots something much different Phil I don’t know if we’re past this I I don’t know where they are
In terms of meetings uh between the crafts and Bill bich but when they do meet or if they have met I don’t know how many they’ve had how much of the quarterback back position do you think plays a part or is this above that like saying does Bill need to present a plan
If he were to stay on what he would like to do with the position or is this just even above the quarterback issue that’s been there in New England I think it goes above and beyond that James although I I think it’s a a key piece to why bill bich will
Eventually be moving on in my opinion I mean you just look at the draft in general whether it’s the quarterback or anywhere else over the course of the last decade that the hits in the first round are few and far between it looks like they got one it looks like they got
One this past spring and Christian Gonzalez he played in four games but again go back over the years Malcolm Brown Dominique Easley Isaiah win and Sony Michelle I mean it has been you know not even mentioning Nel Harry it’s been it’s been a rough go for bill bich
Over the last 10 years in the draft so that’s an issue and and would he be willing to give up any sort of personel power if he were to stay in New England he was asked that question the other day in his season ending press conference
And he made it sound as though the tone you know that he used in his answer made it sound as though he might be willing to budge there but he really didn’t say he would be willing to budge and he’ll tell you I am willing to listen to
Anybody who’s around me and I’ve got a lot of people who are around me who are helping me I can’t possibly Scout all these college players over the course of the year and he’s right but these decisions are ultimately his decisions and so I think that’s going to be a big
Piece to why the crafts end up deciding whatever it is they decide at the quarterback spot in particular you know going back to that draft 2021 I was told was Bill b was Bill bich excuse me completely sold on taking M Jones at 15 overall that year in the first round the
Answer would be no but it was still his decision you know there’s been a narrative that sort of caught on locally here that well maybe Robert Craft forced Bill bich to take M Jones because they really didn’t have a quarterback they’re just coming off a tough year with Cam
Newton as their starter not the casee is my understanding at least having spoken to people who were in the room that night they all decided is he maybe Andy Dalton and is that not necessarily Superstar quality uh yes that’s essentially how they thought of him but
They also knew if we don’t take a shot on a quarterback we’ll never hit we’re in quarterback Purgatory that’s the word that was used in recent conversations that I’ve had with these people they thought they were in quarterback purgatory and they needed to take a shot at a quarterback and Bill belich was
Included in that decision and he was the guy who who ultimately pulled the trigger there so drafting him not developing him properly surrounding him with the right pieces I think all of this stuff will factor into the crft decision but it goes well beyond the quarterback spot fascinating Phil fascinating
Appreciate you jumping on I feel like Steve we have to have Phil on pretty much every show moving forward until decision’s made so clear your calendar Phil appreciate it buddy thanks Phil I’m always here for you guys thanks for having me thanks man hey coming up on the NFL
Report there’s a Harbaugh are there going to be two of them in the NFL uh the NFL reports NFL Insider Mike gapo joins the show next welcome back into the NFL report James Palmer Steve W with you and here are your head coaching vacancies right now the one at the
Bottom Mike Vel just happened on two Tuesday as he departs the Tennessee Titans and Mike garolo the NFL reports NFL Insider joins us now and Mike has been all over every aspect of these coaching searches and there’s one name that it just won a big game in the
College football World Mike we’ll get right to it and Jim Harbaugh I just have to ask you because I’ve been watching you crush it on NFL Network nice little you know compliment from your boy here um and what you have to say about Harbaugh and the situations that he’s
Walking into and the situations these teams are walking into by wanting to look at him and have him be a potential candidate I’m just curious they know who he is they know he wins games do you just let him be who he is or do any of
These teams try to I don’t know change him do something how does the search go when you know so much about a guy that’s so complicated uh well a lot of teams don’t know that much about it I mean they they’ve heard things from afar and
That’s part of the process is uh having those conversations with those who have worked with him before and the organizations that he’s been with organization certainly in this case with the 49ers that he’s worked with we know how things ended there with the 49ers that last year I remember it was week
One the reports were coming out that this was going to be Jim Harbaugh’s last season with the 49ers like how do you exist as an organization for that entire year um so the feedback they’re getting is not it’s not all negative right I mean there yeah Jim Harbaugh won a lot
Of games he went to the Super Bowl he almost won the Super Bowl um so and and the year before uh was in it against the Giants in an NFC Championship game that they could have easily won if not for a few mistakes in the rain that day so
You’re going to get feedback if you’re going and asking people who have worked with hard ball before that if you want to win ball games yeah that’s great but don’t expect that you’re hiring this guy to be your coach for the next I don’t know what’s it been 15 years John
Harbaugh has been with the Baltimore Ravens that ball is a little different than this hard ball he’s going to wear out his welcome eventually but in the meantime you’re going to win games so I keep saying of all these openings right now the one that to me makes the most
Sense for him is the LA Chargers because they’ve got the makeup of a team that can compete right away particularly at the quarterback position okay I wouldn’t if you’re looking to hire Jim Harbaugh and you are a team that is looking to draft a guy and maybe rebuild in a lot
Of the ways like let’s say they’re doing in Washington that doesn’t seem to be a good fit to me so we’ll see where it goes uh but if if I’m Jim Harbaugh too I kind of look at it and say hey Chargers already made to win
Right now as well so to me that would be the one that makes the most sense yeah it’s nice yeah it’d be interesting because they’ve got the quart you know we know Harbaugh is a builder and Rebuilder of programs they got the quarterback but their record says that
Program needs to be built back up here’s an interesting one because of course he’s been tied to the Raiders as well you know he hired Dan as his agent Dan was Tom Brady’s agent Brady’s got the relationship with the Raiders but regardless if Antonio Pierce the interim
Coach if he doesn’t get the job there and we know he’s in the running how come we’re not hearing any uh requests for interviews for Antonio Pierce because he seems like someone who this year has got his locker room behind him and he won some ball games yeah well he’s a little bit
Outside the box because he came from linebacker coach right through being a coordinator Mark Davis said he was intrigued by the idea he also came in and said I’m going to do the full Raiders thing right that’s me that’s who I am he’s genuine about it great point
And so it’s going to rub people the wrong way look Steve am I going to have to speak in code on this one I just might have to um that’s going to rub some people the wrong way or he’s not going to be many people’s idea of what a
Head coach should act like right uh but you know what sometimes out of the box thinking and out of the box hires I mean Mike McDaniel that H down in Miami that’s not the idea what a head coach looks like or acts like or or or
Anything to that end and he’s done a phenomenal job so far so sometimes you got to think like hey maybe we don’t have to keep looking for that cookie cutter uh idea of a head coach that we’ve had for a number of years but it’s also the right fit so to answer your
Question why are we not hearing those interviews elsewhere and what happens if he doesn’t get the Raiders job obviously he wouldn’t remain on the staff because the new coach wouldn’t want that looking over his shoulder I get that he’s still a great football mind it’s not to say
That he’s just this personality I mean when he was a player we talked about him as a coach on the field he’s got a great grasp of the X’s and O’s I think he’ll make a terrific assisting coach and maybe even a coordinator at some point to maybe rebuild the resume for another
Chance down the line but it just everything right now is geared toward him getting that job right now with the Vegas Raiders let’s jump over to Carolina Mike I’m curious because we we’re looking at all all the guys are looking at in terms of a GM vacancy and then they’re going
To fill a head coaching spot as well when everybody’s looking at this and you’re making calls is Bryce young helping this in terms of people being interested or is he hurting this in terms of being interested with the way this first season went with him good
Question well I here’s what I think is hurting it more than anything is the lack of Firepower at the top of the draft that they gave up to get Bryce young like if you had him and you still had a first round pick it would be a
Much different story so I think that’s hurting more than anything he also in a lot of ways was a lot of people’s thought as the top quarterback in the draft last year not just the Carolina Panthers I I guess I I mean I don’t know
If I would call it a consensus I don’t remember the exact numbers it was closer to 50/50 certainly than it was to 100 zero the other way between him and CJ Stroud um so there are those who are out there and say hey once I get a hold of
Bryce young and we improved the talent around them that was something even before Frank Reich got hired that Frank Reich exactly over lie listen you you want to know what a coach thinks of himself ask him about hey what how’s this guy doing not as good as if I had
Him uh you’ll get that a lot short but even before Frank Reich got fired last year the notion amongst the staff there and the Personnel people there was well just wait till we surround them with Talent so that’ll be the belief for whoever winds up taking this job there
Is interest in it uh I I thought coming into the hiring cycle that this was going to be one of those I’m not touching that with a 10-ft pole because of what you’re asking me about with Bryce young and also David terer cuz a lot of people may be seeing some stuff
From afar and not know exactly what he’s like to work with them but there is reciprocal interest in this job maybe a little bit more so than I thought there was going to be well Mike you know there’s always someone going to take one of the 32 and there’s always usually
About five or $6 million dollars a year that also uh is nice incentive for these guys to do it hey Mike every day we want to let people know that we can catch you on the inside as long with your bud Ian raport and Tom peliso and Judy Batista
We also love having you here as the NFL reports Insider great stuff I love the stuff on Antonio Pierce brother that was really really good stuff bro that’s right coming up next we got the chief that’s right we’ve got the Dolphins but you better have peacock if you want to
Watch them up next we’re going to find out why this game is only on a streaming app on the NFL report all right welcome back to the NFL report and those of you watching you can see the super Wild Wild Card Weekend schedule we got brown Texans Saturday
Saturday night Dolphins Chiefs 8:00 p.m. on peacock the streaming app that is exclusive on peacock of course Steelers bills Packers Cowboys Rams at Lions Eagles and Buccaneers and here to explain more on how the schedule was put together and some of the other machinations we have the NFL’s VP of
Broadcast planning Mike North Mike thanks for joining us and first off Mike you know I thought there was going to be some Wizardry board behind you but all we’re seeing is some articles in a Michael Sam jersey man we thought there was some crazy like metric computer behind you that made this
Happen uh there’s another room uh with our scheduling board although the truth is the scheduling board is you know it’s a relic of a bygone era you guys both remember Val pinchback who used to literally build the NFL schedule one game at a time one tag at a time so much
More of it is done now you know with the software trying to take into account factors that we never could have considered back in the day and uh you know we’re doing our best I’m not sure it’s perfect but seems to be hitting most of the right buttons If you think
About this season you know most of our Network Partners viewership numbers are pretty good had some real kind of high water marks with like that Chiefs Eagles Monday night game or Thanksgiving or Christmas again there’s been some real good stuff and excited to see it start to pay off now in the postseason
Mike I’m curious Sunday everybody is just waiting to see who plays when on what network what happens how does Sunday Kind of unfold especially when you had going into Sunday what was it 20 teams with a possibility of going into the postseason how did Sunday kind of break down and
How does it go to being finally given to us Sunday night yeah well remember it’s it’s not even just Sunday right it starts on Saturday we had two pretty compelling games on Saturday afternoon kind of use Saturday as those call him an appetizer a little Amo if you will a
Little win and get some help or or play to stay alive something like that so Pittsburgh’s a great example they were the perfect Saturday game they had to win they knew that and then they needed help and they needed either Jacksonville or Buffalo to get beat on Sunday for
Them to know that they were playing Houston Indie a little different they knew the winner was in but they were both still eyeing a division title so interestingly when Jacksonville lost you know that benefited both of the winners from Saturday and buffalo on Sunday night even though obviously they
Played their hardest um look we’re trying to sequence all of the final weekend of the season to be you know cascading games with playoff implications over and over and over again all throughout the weekend Saturday play to stay alive Sunday play and get some help clinch a couple
Divisions early come into the late window Dallas playing for a division title Green Bay playing for a playoff spot and then culminating with that last game of the season uh hopefully a win it in and and rendered bulletproof from any of the previous results of the weekend
So you know no matter what when you get to kick off a Sunday night somebody’s winning in and we’re just kind of watching the whole day play out just like the rest of the fans are and like oh okay now this means they’ve clinched and this means they’re the two and this
Means they’re going to end up playing those guys and oh man we might end up with that Rams Detroit Stafford returns game on Wild Card Weekend and if we do what’s the best use of that asset is it Sunday afternoon is it Sunday night is it Saturday is it peacock is it Monday
Night and so the way the Wild Card Weekend comes together is we sort of work backwards uh we work backwards from Monday uh we’ve been doing the Monday night wild card game this will be the third season and that creates obviously some extra uncertainty you win on Sunday
Of Wild Card Weekend you don’t know yet maybe who you play on divisional weekend that’s new for us having the Monday game be a four seed versus a five minimizes the uncertainty everybody else knows what they’re doing and somebody’s going to play the winner of the 4 five game on
Monday so we like a 4 five game on Monday night someday we’ll play a 36 or a 27 but this year we had a pretty good one in Philly Tampa now the winner of that Monday plays the following Sunday and you’re either playing San Francisco the one seed or maybe Dallas or Detroit
Depending on if the seats hold you know you’re always Building Wild Card Weekend with an eye towards divisional weekend backing up from Monday to Sunday Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers that sure sounds like Sunday afternoon 4:30 um kind of right where it belongs and then
You look at the rest of the games and they were all pretty interesting I mean Cleveland Houston is got a ton of story lines not to mention Deshawn Watson who’s not even playing and then you get to Miami Kansas City a little rematch from the game that was over in Germany
You’ve got Pittsburgh Buffalo they’ve played in the playoffs a few times never in Buffalo though I don’t think and then obviously Stafford returns to Detroit any one of those would have made great sense for Sunday 1:00 Sunday 8:00 Saturday afternoon we were almost kind of lucky enough to have a Kansas City
Chiefs game that we felt like we could afford quote unquote to put on peacock you know peacock’s important um the Strategic Benefit of having that as a viable home for our games they did a regular season game this year they’ll do a regular season game next year and want
This wild card game to be successful one way to help ensure that hopefully is to put a Patrick Mahomes game there I was about to say let’s let’s stay right here on this game because it is exclusive you you’ve seen some of the talk about a 11
Pro bowlers in this game not just Patrick Mahomes I mean this is a star start of a game as we have this weekend but the decision to put it on the exclusive streaming app has created controversy we can’t see it on cable we can’t see it on network what what about
This route because we’ve seen it before I mean is this a gamble of any sorts of alienating fans or is it just hey this is where things are going in the world let’s get ahead of it or is it let’s force people to the streaming app
Yeah force is a tough word but I think your your first two points are right is is it a bit of a gamble I don’t know if I’d call it a gamble as much as an experiment and is this where television and sports viewership is going I think
So I mean I think you’re you’re hinting at it you’re alluding to it think of what we’ve done over the last few years right A couple of years ago when we put the Thursday night package exclusively on Amazon there were the naysayers out there like I’m not going to get that
Streaming service I’m not going to watch Thursday Night Football the NFL is making a terrible mistake the Thursday night package on Amazon this year performed really well comparable to broadcast network they average 13 million people watching every week that sounds like a network television broadcast home for NFL games so I think
We can put Amazon in the success category um you know it wasn’t that long ago that when we moved a wild card game to ESPN and everybody said this is a horrible mistake you’re taking it off of free television onto paid services and uh ESPN’s obviously here to stay and in
Fact they’re moving to the divisional round so now ESPN simal cast on ABC to be fair but ESPN’s got a wild card game and a divisional game for the first time ever and if you go back even further I mean some of us are old enough to
Remember when we first put um you know NFL games on cable when we first put that Sunday night package on TNT and ESPN this is the late 80s and everybody thought that was going to be a terrible mistake and it sort of seemed like those broadcast Outlets were going to be
Viable in the future is it a bit of a risk yeah is it a bit of an experiment definitely but it’s seems like this is where things are going who knows what the you know terrestrial linear television world looks like three years from now 5 years from now 8 years 10
Years from now when we renegotiate our media deals find that some of these streaming services not only are viable but but even really preferable so I think this is more just about you know kind of seating the marketplace um certainly we’ve got some work to do to
Inform the fans and and make sure they understand this is truly streaming only it’s it’s not going to be on overthe a television unless you’re in Miami and Kansas city as you guys well know the games are always on free over the air television in the markets of the
Competing teams but yeah look is it going to do 2530 million people maybe not but is it going to be the most streamed sporting event in history we think so uh we just accomplished that goal with the Amazon game with the Seahawks Cowboys just a few weeks ago I
I think we’re gonna find that this Miami Kansas City playoff game on peacock is going to be the most streamed event most stream sports event in history and that’ll be another bar for us to try to climb over in the future and Mike one thing we found out about NFL fans if
They want to see a game they’re going to see a game if they want to get to a stadium see a game they’ll find a way so Mike we appreciate you breaking down so much of this and especially the streaming aspect of it because we here
At the NFL report are a streaming show as well and we like the fact that we’re exploring this Frontier so thank you so much M the fans are finding you right the fans are finding you it might take a little social media engagement it might
Take a little word of mouth and some of us may need help from our kids to download The Right app but this is where the content Liv Mike in some capacity that’d be great yeah yeah thaty too I appreciate you Mike take care have a good M hard weekend man all right coming
Up Josh Allen and those Buffalo Bills they’re an exciting team to watch but what Josh Allen are we going to see in the postseason the one who gives up the rock or the one who makes us want to watch we’ll have more for that on the NFL report and also listen to the
Podcast wherever you get your podcast all right back with the final block here at the NFL report I’m Steve whes with James Palmer and Jeff chadia once again is back for his weekly appearance in his University of Michigan glory wash the shirt je no need only bust it out for the big
Wins Ohio State and national championships there you go there you go real quick this is Jeff’s first re seg make sure to C je Jeff’s column on nfl.com first read also since we’re talking about multimedia platforms the NFL report is also a podcast but Jeff we
Come to this weekend and we see the Buffalo Bills they are absolutely rolling they get to play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers who we know are wounded especially on defense but Josh Allen man he he giveth and he take it away what do you think we’re gonna see
Are we gonna see anything different out of him you know what Steve you look at his track record in the playoffs and no matter how crazy he gets in the regular season he typically Bears down and gets a lot steadier at that time of the year and he’s played some of his best
Football in January so that’s what I’m expecting and I know what happened in Miami was bizarre to watch it was the full Josh Allen experience the three turnovers that could have killed this team and then he comes back and makes a multitude of brilliant plays to get them
Uh the win ends up with 400 yards a total offense and the stuff he can do is just things that end up playing well in the postseason I totally agree with some some somebody told me this earlier this week in that if you want to win playoff games against Baltimore or kanada city
Or whoever else San Francisco your quarterback has to do special things Josh Allen can do those things well said yep yeah that’s well that is well said and listen everybody I’ve talked to up in Buffalo Jeff says the same thing if Joe Brady and he’s been able to do it
Get Josh Allon in a rhythm that’s when you just see him kind of find that Groove like almost like a shooter right in basketball like he kind of finds that Rhythm and he’ll pull up from anywhere let’s talk about two other quarterbacks I witnessed one firsthand that was a
Part of a massive collapse that was Trevor Lawrence in the Jacksonville Jaguars I was in Nashville to see that one firsthand him and Tu a tonga vioa are on really the precipice of of their first big contracts um are they worthy of them in your mind big quarterback
Deals at this point I’m not sure about either one and I’m going beyond the numbers here when I look at uh Joe burrow Patrick Mahomes Josh Allen Lamar Jackson those quarterbacks Justin Herbert’s in that category now you see them doing things that really Elevate their teams at
Certain points and and I just have not seen that consistently from Trevor Lawrence or or Tua and I like them both Trevor Lawrence especially when he was coming out of college I always felt like he was a quarterback Who played well when he had a lot of great
Players around him and now you’re seeing him go through some of that adversity and he’s just not right there that that yeah now I I’ll say this he has been hurt and banged up you know second a half of the season so you want to give him a pass
And two is face the same kind of thing with his health but I think the worst thing that could happen to both these guys is a guy named CJ stra because now when you’re talking about giving out big money if you’re an owner you’re looking at well these they’re not him it’s not
Like you’re talking about burrow or Lamar or Patrick anymore it’s like not even C Jo St level so I do have some concerns about how they’ll perform if they deserve those kind of numbers so let’s follow that up then what do you do without him that that’s what I’m saying
Like do they get the the big the Joe burrow contract I don’t know but it’s like okay if we were to kick them out of the door we could be in the same situation like a lot of these other teams are who are just hoping hoping to
Find it so is that is that more of the conundrum for a general manager approaching a decision like this than anything else well look I think we got recent history to see how it can go and I’ll give you names like Jared gof and and Carson Wentz and Colin Kaepernick uh
Quarterbacks who I think are in that same level that both these guys are at where they you see some positives you’ve seen some improvement you’ve seen the way the team can play around them they’re both obviously well-liked within the franchises they’re good people but then you start paying them those kind of
Numbers and if they don’t perform it can have a huge negative effect on your franchise you know say what you will about Josh Allen and he’s probably the best example you can give of a guy who can frustrate you and and make you make you Exhilarate you at the same time but
He’s done it in the playoffs and he’s got that look at his eye when when when the eyes get big and I just don’t I haven’t seen that again from T or Trevor Lawrence and those limitations are should be a big factor in those negotiations yeah Jeff I look at
Jacksonville and this was supposed to be a massive leap for Trevor Lawrence this season that’s why I’m looking at that as well it was year two in Doug Peterson system we were all giving him just a mulligan for the year that he had with Urban Meyer but they thought there was
Going to be a big jump this year and that just it’s almost the same year that he had a year prior when he was the first year in the system so I think that’s why people are sitting there going well what what’s next and you see the moves that really are happening in
Jacksonville because that is the number one thing that they need to focus on let’s stick to the position I’ll get to Harbaugh in a minute maybe I’m putting him off for a reason but let’s stick with the quarterback spot and look at Joe flacko this was Steve’s idea and I
Think it’s brilliant if Joe flacko makes a run for Cleveland in this postseason does Kevin stefansky Steve’s pick for Coach of the Year and a lot of people’s does he have the stones to say Hey Joe Flaco you’re coming back into this locker room even though we have DeShaun
Watson and we’re going to have you both in that quarterback room Ah that’s a tough one that that’s asking a lot that’s a big what if that’s a lot of teams you got I was like Steve we have to ask Jeff this that scenario I personally would
Not do it Ian I I know where you’re getting at but Joe Flaco being almost 40 years old you just don’t know when the when it’s all going to fall apart for him and it’s been a fun it’s to me it’s been the best story in the second half
Of the season I imagine that he would want to be looking for an opportunity to play as a full-time starter somewhere so it’s not just about the Browns Bing in Brackets about what he would want for himself but I just think you’ve invested in DeShaun Watson in some way you
Probably given to Chan watching another region to go out and get better and come back and perform at a higher level but yeah I just tell him at 40 years old unless you’re talking about Aaron Rogers or Tom Brady I would not make that kind of investment yeah you think he has a
Market elsewhere Jeff right now yeah you’re talking about team the quarter I think he can go start for someplace next year easily based on what he’s done well at least you bring him in as as reliable backup but I tell you what he has won the hardest of the
Folks in Cleveland and that game against the Houston Texans the story lines are awesome and he is leading that case Jeff Jia thanks so much we’re not going to get to Jim Harbaugh we’ll talk about him later so JP you are spared we’re going to promo our show because on Thursday we
Are back at the NFL report remember that it is also a podcast you can get wherever you get your pods but also if you’re watching on television you can find us on peacock Roku tuby Pluto and other free streaming apps again wherever you get your podcast the show comes off
Fantastic as a podcast but on Thursday we are loaded we are going to have Debo Samy we are going to have Andre Reed the hall of fame wide receiver we have so much coming up we have some more guests we’re not going to tell you all of them
JP we’ll see you Thursday we’re back here at the NFL report wild card I will take the home team in this one 27-25 I took the home team in the last game I I do think it matters in this particular match up this is where my
Stomach and my model do not agree end the misery get it done this Sunday but that’s why we do it because we want to be meme recency bias is real like don’t be don’t fall victim to recency bias stay away from recency bias all of you maybe maybe later don’t don’t do it
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