Does the Road to the Super Bowl in the AFC actually go through the New England Patriots?

Does the Road to the Super Bowl in the AFC actually go through the New England Patriots?

unfiltered. I’m not sold. I’m sorry. Unapologetic. I’m not trying to talk about them. Unlike anyone else, but knowing y’all, y’all will probably make me. This is the Stephen A. Smith Show. What’s up, everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming at you as I love to do over the airwaves of SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio every weekday from 1 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. And of course, we reair from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Number to call up as always is8 Madog6. That’s 888623 3646. Once again, that number to call up isle8 Mad Dog6. That’s 888623646. And of course, if you want to just leave your voicemail messages because you can’t get in touch with me directly, you can always go to sirusxm.com/getserious to make sure your voice is heard. That’s sirxm.com/getserious. We got a jam-packed show coming your way today. Lots of stuff to get into. U there’s no doubt about it. And the first order of business is really not much when it comes to um the New England Patriots. Uh the New England Patriots, ladies and gentlemen, we’re sitting here today and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but a franchise that went 4 and 13 the last two years are on the road of ensuring that the road to the Super Bowl comes through Foxboro, Massachusetts. There’s no other way to look at it. The road to the Super Bowl in all likelihood is going to come through Foxboro, Massachusetts. We saw the New England Patriots beat up on the New York Jets last night, 27 to 14. No surprise there. Uh we do have to give the Jets uh some some some cover from the standpoint that Source Gardner is gone, Quinnon Williams is gone, Garrett Wilson is on the IR. So, the legitimate argument could be made that your top three players aren’t even there and the Jets aren’t very good anyway. A matter of fact, they’re pretty damn bad. And so, because of it, um, what big of a deal is it that you beat up on them? We have to look at it from that standpoint. What we can’t do is take away from what we’re seeing from the New England Patriots here. Uh, you know, just call it what it is. Right now, they’re on the verge. I mean, barring what happens this weekend between Dentwood, Denver, and Indianapolis, I mean, the the the New England Patriots have the best record in football. We can’t ignore that. We can’t ignore that reality. We can’t throw that aside. They also have signature wins both on the road against Buffalo and Tampa Bay. So, we got to give them love there as well. Five of their final six games are against teams that currently have a losing record. And that’s where the trepidation kicks in. Bengals, Giants, Jets, Dolphins, and the four and five Ravens. I don’t consider the Ravens a losing team. The Ravens have won three straight after starting out 1 and5. They clearly are on the verge of catching the Pittsburgh Steelers. We all know this. Everybody can see it. And so that’s going to be a real real big deal. And the the real test for New England, at least in the regular season, is going to be what they do in a week 15 rematch with Buffalo in Foxboro because they went on the road in Buffalo earlier this season and beat Buffalo. But as we look at the New England Patriots and as we look at Drake May and the way that this brother has been balling, what are we going to say about them? right now. Last night, forget his stats. 107.6 passer rating. So what? It was against the New York Jets. Okay, we get that part. But the man has passed for at least 200 yards in every single game. All 11 games this season for the New England Patriots. He’s had a passer rating of at least 100 in nine of the 11 games that he’s played. He’s in year two of being a quarterback with Mike Vrabel as his coach and this is what he’s doing. Let’s not forget Stefon Diggs and what he’s been doing. Nine of 11, nine catches, 11 targets, 105 yards. His third 100yard game of the season. What about this? Tayvon Henderson, a rookie. Career-high 19 rushing attempts. Already has five touchdowns over the last two games with Raandre Stevenson being out. I mean, I’m just looking at that. And by the way, forced a career-high nine missed tackles across 24 touches against the Jets. That’s Trayvon Henderson, a rookie. Join Rob Gronowski is the only Patriots rookie with three or more TDs in a single game. Going back to Drake May, 72% completion, second only to Jared Golf in this league, 8.9 pass yards per attempt, second only to Sam Darnold in this league. 257.8 passing yards per game, seventh in the NFL. 20 touchdown passes, tied for second, only behind Matthew Stafford. Okay. And a 113.2 passer rating is fifth in the National Football League. The New England Patriots have a quarterback. And if anybody’s going to be particular about the level of production they’re getting from a quarterback, it’s going to be the folks in Foxboro because Tom Brady spoke for 20 years. So to see this brother doing what he does on a level that he is doing it with Mike Vrael, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, coaching this team with them being balanced with a decent defense, with a decent offense, with decent special teams, with toughness, we can’t ignore what we’re seeing from the New England Patriots. So to me that begs the question, who’s that team that’s going to knock them off in the AFC? Is it Indie if you got to go on the road to Foxboro? Is it Kansas City, but are you going to make the play? You going to handle your business against Denver this weekend? Is it Denver whose offense doesn’t show up until fourth quarters most of the time? Is it the Chargers who’s on a comeup despite injuries, still having Justin Herbert, still having Jim Harbaugh, still being able to make some things happen? I’m wondering, is it the Baltimore Ravens? Is it Lamar Jackson? Let me say this because I want to put this out on front street because I like to be honest with my listeners, viewers, and all of that. I’m not going to front, y’all. Yeah, I’m a Steelers fan. I don’t believe in them. I don’t believe in what I’m seeing. Their defense sucked for most of the year. When their defense got decent over the last two weeks, their offense sucked. So, guess what? I’m not enamored. I’m not happy. Okay? and Aaron Rogers has had a relatively decent season up until last game. But DK Metaf averaging 36 and a half receiving yards over the last three games is unacceptable. You needed to go out there and get another asset from a wide receiver standpoint, which is why the Steelers were supposedly reportedly one of the teams that went after Jaylen Wadd and didn’t get him. Just like the Buffalo Bills should have got Jaylen Wadd. How the hell do you not give up a first round pick in 2026 holding out to give it in in 2027? What type of damn sense does that make when you got Josh Allen behind center? He needs a pass catcher. That’s what he needs. You can’t sit up there and deny him the opportunity to have an additional pass catcher if that’s the only impediment to grabbing one. Now, if they want it more, they want it more. But instead of getting a first round pick in 2027, the Dolphins wanted a first round pick in 2026 and you said no. What difference does it make? It got to be one of the dumbest things that I think Buffalo has done and I respect the hell out of them in their leadership, but what are you doing? What are you doing? So, all of that stuff is relevant. But I just think that right now as we look at New England, we have to acknowledge, yo, these boys are no joke. They ain’t playing. Here they come. And you better pay attention because there’s a lot to think about when it comes to them. AAA Mad 6 is always the number to call up. is 8886233646. You’re listening live to the Stephen A. Smith Show, SiriusXM, Mad Dog Sports Radio. That’s just one of the things on my mind because I think it’s important to mention and I don’t think it’s something that you can summarily dismiss or ignore. That’s where I’m at with it. The other thing I wanted to get into which I find very very interesting and it’s funny because one of the reasons I’m thinking about it is because of the doggy dog himself, Mad Dog Russo, who comes on with his afternoon drive show at the top of the 3:00 hour every weekday right here on SiriusXM. His namesake Mad Dog Radio channel. This dude was on national television a few weeks ago complaining like all get out about the weak ass schedule of the NFL that week. like it’s the NFL’s fault they make a schedule in advance and then the teams stink up the joint and the game ain’t as compelling as he would like. I mean, he’ll complain about anything. He just That’s why he’s mad, though. He’ll complain about anything. Okay, which is hilarious. He can’t complain this week. Ladies and gentlemen, we got three big time games we got to pay attention to. I already mentioned one of them to you. Cleveland, I’m sorry. I mean, uh, Kansas City going up against Denver. Kansas City going up against Denver. That’s a big game. It’s a big game because the Kansas City Chiefs had better win this game. We are 10 games in. They are five and four entering week 10 for themselves. Okay, they lose this game. They’re already three games behind. Denver’s at 8-2. They are five and four. Two and a half games. They lose this game, they five and five. Denver’s nine and two. It’s a wrap. It’s a wrap. You’re not going to win the division. You’re not going to have a shot of winning the division if you’re the Kansas City Chiefs and you lose this game other than the playoffs in the Super Bowl. I’m I one could easily argue this is the most important regular season game of Patrick Mahomes career because the man been winning since he arrived. Every single year he’s been a starting quarterback. They’ve been in the AFC Championship game. The brother is surreal. We know this. And we’re looking at the rest of the parts around him. Juju Smith used to I mean you got Thornon. You got Xavier Worthy. You got Rasheed Rice. I mean PCO’s out but Kareem Hunter is still experienced. Somebody got to run for a damn football. You got a decent defense with Magnolo patrolling the seams and Stewart in the defense. Andy Reed is still there helping call plays. I mean calling plays really. What excuse do you have? You can’t lose this game. Can’t lose this game. You cannot lose this game if you are the Kansas City Chiefs. And Denver with the way their offense has struggled, as putrid as they have been. I mean, come on. You got to win this game. Cuz Denver’s defense is no joke. Plus 35. Plus 35 sack differential compared to anybody else in the National Football League. First 10 games of the season. That’s what they’ve recorded. Nobody has done that in NFL history. Not the Steelers defense, the steel curtain. Not doomsday defense with the Dallas Cowboys. Not we are the Bears, the shuffling crew. Shuffle down. Do it for you. We’re so bad. We know we’re good. Remember the Chicago Bears 1985. Not them either. Not the Baltimore Ravens with Ray Lewis and those boys. Nobody has had a plus 35 sack differential in NFL history after 10 games until Denver did it just now. They are no joke when it comes to getting after the quarterback. And we know that is Patrick Mahomes Achilles heel just like it was Tom Brady’s Achilles heel against the New York Giants in those two Super Bowls in ’07 and in 2011. It’s been a problem for Patrick Mahomes against Tampa in the Super Bowl against Philly last year. This is what it is. You got to protect that brother. And if there’s a team that’s saying you can’t and you won’t, it’s the Denver Broncos. So this is what we’re looking at right now. This is what we’re facing right now. To me, that’s one of the big time games this weekend. Here’s two others. Detroit head in the Philly. Detroit head in the Philly. And I know we try to act like, you know, I know we’re trying to act like AJ Brown is all the rage. And I get that. I understand that. It makes sense. But what we gonna do is we gonna pay attention to what’s going on with the Detroit Lions. We gonna pay attention to the fact that Dan Cavell took away play calling duties from John Morton. And when he did that, they had damn near 600 yards of offense and they put up 44. Now, it was on the Washington Commanders whose season is a wash and they deserve it. By the way, let’s make sure we understand. They freaking deserved it. You get to the NFC Championship game last year with a rookie quarterback and they were feeling themselves and they said, “We got a quarterback. We got a quarterback.” There’s a difference between capitalizing off a quarterback and exploiting it. They exploited it. They did not make their team better this year. Yeah, you got Debo Samuels. I respect the hell out of Debo and what he brought to San Francisco all of those years. But we all know he’s approaching the twilight of his career that he’s not what he used to be. I respect the hell out of him. He could still play. He could still make a contribution, but he needs help. Why you gonna wait until the the end of trainer camp to resign Terry McLuren when you know you wanted to keep him? Why would you wait that damn long? You know he needs to be in football shape. Maybe he wouldn’t have been out with the injury now if you had taken care of him. He’d have been in football shape. He’d have been ready to go come opening day of the season and you wouldn’t have nose died from the very very beginning. what you trade Brian Bri Brian Robinson Jr. for. Did you need a running back? What you do that for? This is what the Commanders have done and you got in your own way and that’s why they suck right now. And if I’m Jayen, if I’m Jayen Daniels, don’t come back. That elbow injury was ugly, bro. Don’t rush yourself back. Y’all ain’t going nowhere. Instead of taking advantage of Jaden Mc of Jaden Daniel’s greatness and his youth, you exploited it and took it for granted. And that’s why they got what they got. and to and to coach Quinn, who I respect, who took the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl before blowing a 25-point lead to Tom Brady and them inexplicably, letting Kyle Shanahan, then offensive coordinator, continue to throw the damn football instead of running and chewing up some of the clock, knowing that the clock was on your side and forgot about that. Outside of that, the man did coach him to a Super Bowl. Now, I’m talking about Quinn, Dan Quinn. And not only did he do that, okay, but he was a big-time defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys thereafter. So what was the deal? You could hear you’re the head coach. You resurrect this franchise, get him back on track, and then you lost your way. Why is that defense such trash? Why they look so bad? So ain’t no big deal that Detroit ran rough shot over all of them. Practically everybody will the rest of the season now. But I say all of that to say this. Detroit is no joke. That brother Gibbs is special. Jamar Gibbs special. He’s special, y’all. So is Amar St. Brown. Jameson Williams is no slouch. The Porter is no slouch. Jared Golf is balling. Especially when he’s on the road. He’s completing better than 70% of his passes. So now we got to look at them and we got to say, “Hey, what about Philly? And here’s where the interesting thing is about Philadelphia that we simply cannot ignore. Their offense hasn’t looked great at times. They looked great against Minnesota too many times during this season. They haven’t looked great. Last year, they led the league in rushing attempts after starting out two and two, and they were dead last in pass attempts. If you believe in your quarterback the way that you should, why not let him throw more? Jaylen Herz was absolutely fabulous in the Super Bowl. He deserved to be the MVP. He was absolutely spectacular. He was very impressive against Minnesota. We got to take that into consideration, too. And that pass to AJ Brown to steal a deal certainly helped. Uh just like AJ Brown was a man amongst boys against LA where they beat the Rams, even though the Rams were in position to win the game, but then had the damn kick block and returned for a touchdown or at least tie the game. So, you had all of that going on and and Philly got some breaks, but the Rams have been lights out and we can’t ignore that. Back to Philly. I wanted to refer to a an Instagram post that AJ Brown put out two days after winning the Super Bowl last year. And one of my researchers called it up for me and I’m very thankful that they did because after they shellacked the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl three, you know, AJ Brown had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl. This is a couple of days or so according to him after the Super Bowl where AJ Brown posted this. After a few days, I’ve had time to reflect on being a champion. I tried to feel how everyone made it seem to be a champion. And unfortunately, it was shortlived. Two days to be exact. Laugh out loud. I’ve never been a champion at the highest level before, but I thought my hard work would be justified by winning it all. It wasn’t. My thrill for this game comes when I dominate. It’s the hunt that does it for me. It’s when the DB drops his head and surrender because he can’t f with me. The intense battles, early mornings, late nights, sacrifices. I love putting smiles on people’s faces, don’t get me wrong, but it just wasn’t what I thought it would be. It’s the journey that I love the most. Back to work. This is a champion telling you that a championship didn’t wet his appetite because he wasn’t his dominant self in route to that. And what he gets off of is dominating. Cam Newton on first take this morning had a response to that and I’ll get that sound for you a little bit later on in the show because I think you’ll be interested in hearing that. But I know a lot of people going to look at that as a very selfish take. My point is perhaps you’re right. But if wide receivers weren’t that way, would they be great? It’s just a question. It’s just a question. TripleA Mad Dog 6, that’s 8886233646. You’re listening live to the Stephen A. Smith Show, SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio. Um, I just thought it was important to point out because I think that’s also a big time game of the week. Philly versus Detroit, hosting Detroit. The other game, and it’s the game I think is the biggest of the week, is Los Angeles versus Seattle. Seattle’s defense is real, y’all. Their defense is real. And by the way, not to get it twisted, Sam Darnold, the quarterback, the former quarterback, number three overall pick of the New York Jets, the former quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, who got them to a 14-2 record last year before nose diving, nosediving in the season finale against Detroit with a division title on the line and then losing in the playoffs as a quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings to the Los Angeles Rams, which made them boot him out the door and and and let JJ McCarthy take over. That same Sam Donald is in Seattle playing like an MVP candidate. That same Sam Donald and that defense is physical as hell. And that home crowd is big time as hell. And I can assure you no one should want to go to Seattle to play a playoff game out of the NFC this year. Shouldn’t want it. Meanwhile, since Mike McDonald has become the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, their road record is 11 and one. 11 and one. That’s who they are. To me, that’s the game of the week. Because if Sam if Matthew Stafford who’s got like 20 touchdowns, no interceptions over the last six games with a passer rating through the roof. If that man Matthew Stafford goes up against Seattle and balls out the way their defense is looking right now without Aaron Donald, by the way, without Aaron Donald, if the defense continues to look like this, Los Angeles could be the favorites to win the NFC. Now, I will say this. If you are an NFC team and you got to go on the road to win a playoff game, you don’t mind having to go to Southern California. You don’t mind having to go to Sofa. It’s a beautiful, beautiful stadium. Beautiful, beautiful compounds. And there are worse things to happen to a road team than having to play to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, Seattle would be far more difficult in my estimation. This is the game of week, y’all. That’s what I say. What do y’all say? Triple A Mad Dog6 is the number to call up this 8886233646. To the phones we go. Let’s go to a rock. Let’s go to David in Maryland. You’re live with Stephen A. What’s up, David? David, you’re live on the air. David, are you there? David’s not there. Let’s go to Stephen in Florida. You’re live with Stephen A. What’s up, Stephen? Stephen, are you there? Hey, Stephen A. What’s going on, man? Go ahead. Talk to me, bro. What’s up? All right. Well, the one thing that I noticed about this time of year is that you and all you guys on First Take, y’all have brought up about nine to 10 teams who have a chance to be playing that Super Bowl game in my neck of the woods in Northern California in February. Now, you Okay. So, what’s the problem with that? What What’s the problem with that? How many? Oh, no. There’s no problem. No problem with that at all. None at all. Okay. saying that two of the teams you got playing tonight, Detroit and Philadelphia. Okay. You know, but it’s just like I love this debate about team. We have no idea. It’s just a pleasure to sit and watch and enjoy all that, you know. So, so that’s what so so so that’s what you’re doing. You calling up on a radio show, taking time out of your busy schedule in life to be on hold, to talk to me, to talk about how pleasant it is that we got so many teams to celebrate. That’s your take. That’s why you hold to say that. Actually, no. You give me a chance. I was hurry up. You don’t have that much of a chance. That’s the point. It’s a radio show. Live. Go. What’s your point? I got you. I got you. I used to host one. I understand all that. Well, you better hurry up then. Then you should know better. All I was right. All I was going to say is it pains me as a lifelong raider saying not just we enjoy this right now but all I just have to do is just deal with it and just handle it. That’s all I could do. But tonight that’s what this is about. You called up and delayed the obvious. What you really want to do is and moan about the Raiders, but you knew that couldn’t be your lead point. So you had to bring up the other stuff to delay why you really called which is that you’re sad as hell that your Raiders are as pathetic as hell. That’s what you wanted to say, isn’t it? Well, you Pittsburgh Steelers ain’t too ain’t exactly better than y’all. They better than y’all. They in first place at the moment. This ain’t the time. Have a nice day. Get out of here. Get out of here, Stephen. Call back with a short point and got the nerve to sit up there and say you going to host a radio show. Is that what you did when you was hosting a radio show? waiting 25 minutes to get to the lead. Is that what you did? Is that what you did? Because that ain’t going to work. Not on this show. And by the way, let me say this to all of y’all. I appreciate the love. First of all, Stephen, thank you for calling. I love when callers call in. I love showing y’all I’m one of those cats. I don’t mind callers. I love y’all. Y’all can call in all day. I can do a show without guests any day of the week just to talk to the callers. I love it. I love it when the lines are filled. I love it when y’all call up in here. But I’m going to tell y’all something right now. I ain’t one of those dudes. I gota I got enough of my fill or the lordables and all of that stuff when it come to general hospital. I love the love, don’t get me wrong, but when you call up to this show, understand I need you to get to your damn point. There are people on the line waiting. Let’s stop with all the lordables and applaudables and all of this other stuff and and and and delaying minutes to get to your damn point. Call up to the show and get to your point. Say something nice, that’s cool, but make it quick. get to your point because if you don’t, I’mma get you up out of here because I got other callers to get to. That’s how I roll. In case y’all forgot. Ain’t changing. I was this way when I was on Mad Dog Radio 10 years ago. I’m this way. If I’m on First Take, I’m going to be this way now. It’s who I am. I don’t need a bunch of praise. I love it. I appreciate it. I really, really do. But when a callers call up, I need you to get to your damn point. Don’t be delaying and acting like you got all day because the lines are always filled on this show. I come on the air at 1:00. The lines are full. Just understand that. Just understand that. AAA Mad Dog 66 is the number. The call is 8886233646. By the way, starting off hour number two, former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie is coming on the show. Um he wrote a nice article about sports gaming absolutely emphatically defending it in the world of sports. Thought y’all would be interested in hearing that. So I’m gonna have him on the top of the hour. But not before I get back to your phone calls. You’re listening live to the CN Smith show. SiriusXM Matt do sports radio. Back for more minutes.

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