Chaos in Week 2, Aaron Donald’s Return & Puka facts (Feat. JB Long)

Oh shit, we twos almost in the books. We have a lot to get to my fellow football Americans. Aaron Donald's back just in time to chase dart and scat a boo around Los Angeles. Caleb's hurt. I think I know the Texans and chargers can't win, but Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins can't lose. Oh yeah, and the chiefs are good again. So we're Drew Lock Seahawks. First though, it's getting pretty chilly in here. Yes, presented by Jagermeister, Servet Colder, Servet at all, Jagermeister. Damn, that's cold. For more, visit Jagermeister.com, drink responsibly. Can I tell you something? I love hate. At least as it applies to sports. Sure, it's well-being any opponent, but it's obviously way sweeter when there's some genuine bitterness mixed in. Oh, Miss knows what I'm talking about. But what happens when the two sides are both your side? Guess it's not that hard to imagine given the division in this country right now, or like when Iron Man and Captain America had their fight. Now I don't know if I've mentioned it before. I root for a pro football team. And as it happens, that team, the Pittsburgh Steelers is now at odds with the Pittsburgh Steelers. On one side, Steelers cornerback, Joey Porter, Jr., a legacy guy in the footsteps of his black and gold old man. On the other side, the Steelers current exec wing, the stakes, the monetary value said corner has to the team. Now, as a Steelers fan, I obviously want their best cover corner in uniform. As a human being, I think Porter's entitled to ask to be paid his value. And as a vain human being, I understand why Porter might be upset the team took care of other lesser players this offseason before turning to him. I mean, listen, all the ra, ra, what about being a loyal team guy? Shit is great for us. Of course, we want to feel like the players cares much about the team's successes we do. But consider, this team believes it's a Super Bowl contender. The point is, this team definitely ain't winning those Super Bowl without a difference making corner, which means Porter's got the leverage. So yes, Steelers fans, you want loyalty in the form of him playing. But what would you do if you were risking your ass out there? Better yet, what if it were your kids? Speak enough, which side of this do you think Porter seniors on? You think he might have some thoughts on how the Steelers continue to dig in on their Byzantine, no contract talk during the season stance? Still, if your Porter Jr. has got to be jarring, I'm sure he was getting backslaps anywhere and everywhere he went on the banks of the three rivers till now. But players need to understand fans are going to side with the team because like the team itself, they were there before the player and will be after that player is gone. On one hand, I get it. If you're a big time professional sports outfit, it may not be a good idea to establish the precedent of giving any guy with holding services what he wants. But on the other hand, and this part's important, even if it makes me a buzzkill, yeah, there's a price to be paid for being society's greatest empath. It's dangerous out there. Guys get hurt. And I don't mean my shin hurts because a Belgian guy kicked it. I mean injured elbow bones poking out where they aren't supposed to. Lacerated splines, brain trauma, things of that nature. But again, those are merely human concerns. From a fan perspective, I get rooting for the team. If you're worried about this Steelers v. Steelers battle though, you might want to look at the side that's delusion enough to think it's a contender in part because they so believed in a pass catcher who can't catch passes. They gave him 60 million guaranteed US dollars on purpose. Maybe the larger concern then isn't whether Porter Jr. will ever be a stealer again, but whether will ever see Porter seeing your Steelers. Again. Yes, hi. Hello, my fellow football Americans. Welcome to football America presented by Draft King Sports. Now in all 50 states, we've got Rams P play by play guy, RPAL JP long coming up. Geno, buddy, and me, Kabayo Tony, you're ready to roll in Miami. We are live. Subscribe. Go tell your mom. You can see in the comments section there scrolling alongside. If you're watching live, you can join the conversation. Geno, buddy, jump in with any comments that we must react to in the meantime. It's number 84. Happy week to fellas. And let me know in honor of the episode number 84, which player wore that number best in NFL history? We got some heavy hitters here today. We got Randy Moss, Shannon Sharp, Antonio Brown and Sterling Sharp as well. Those are just the top of the mountain. Anyone have another one thing I think of? I'm thinking of one right now, which is not wearing the number very well, which is Colston, Loveland, who has like two catches through two games so far, was so high on. One catch the one catch for three yards and two games. Yeah, not crazy about that. It's a guy who invested heavily in Colston, Loveland and the Bears offense, which I'm sure we'll talk about later, repping Caleb. I was worried about him. All of a sudden, you know, I was like going to wear his jersey in his honor today and then it turns out he might even play next week, Dave. Oh, like Dan Levitard compared and Paul Pierce. We haven't seen anything like that. Yeah. That's a tough comparison. Paul Pierce. Quickly, we have a lot to talk about in the here and now, but Antonio Brown number 84. You don't like to reside up on Mount Pius. So will he ever get a gold jacket? By the way, he once told me in response to the question, he is only one of two guys who I ever asked this question to who in my mind got it wrong. I like to ask football players, would you rather have a Lombardi or a gold jacket? That's what Antonio Brown chose, he chose the gold jacket. The other guy, Sean Watson, any who will handle you, Brown, ever get his gold jacket? No. Oh, no, never. No, interesting. A lot of great views. Listen, the numbers are in arguable. He had the greatest six season stretch of any pass catcher in the Super Bowl era, say possibly Calvin Johnson, but okay, update, like I say, in the here and now or the near future specifically, Super Bowl 61. I'm sticking with my Bengals and Cowboys, America's alleged team, meeting up there. Feel better about it after the Cowboys looked as they did as I predicted they would against the commies. But as a man of my word, I must now change my NFC South pick. I said of the Saints were so much as one in one after starting the season at Detroit and at Baltimore, they would become my pick to win the division. I must do it now. And I like Tyler Shuck, what I don't like is all the jive. You know, take heed teams that might want to draft a quarterback next spring. This thing about what he's 25, Trinidad, Chamblis, you can't really look at him because he's so long in the tooth. What's the math on this? If it gives you 10 good years, is that not satisfactory? Do you think the Saints are sorry that their QB is now 25 or 26? Tony, how say you? I'd love the Saints going in. And when we were doing our picks for the playoffs and where they were going to be seated, I had the Saints win in the division. I just feel like we always hark on this. It's the harp on this. Excuse me. It's the coach quarterback combo. And I like what Kelly Moore is doing and Shuck is doing just enough. They need to figure it out on the first half of games. They're issues first. Second half of games. They go gangbusters and I was looking at the stats and Tyler Shuck has so many yards thrown. It's insane. I think he leads the NFL and yards thrown. So it's it's very exciting for that team. They don't have have their their best pass catchers. Also like Olavi's in and out. Jordan Tyson return is very interesting. I like Vale a lot. Yeah. But like this team is very, very interesting. Yeah. You want to talk about Shuck being that he is the number one passer. That's correct. He's thrown for 662 yards so far. Do you want to know who two and three are? One of them's Bryce young for sure. Yeah. And the third is CJ Stroud. Yeah. He's a toe and two. So he's been throwing the ball all around the yard. And he didn't have Niko Collins this week. Still looked pretty good in my opinion. But somehow they just could not put the ball in the end zone. They end up losing to the bangles. Who by the way, Dave, you're holding city on your Super Bowl pick with the bangles. I'm I'm changing mine from the Texans to the bangles. That game turned out to be that game turned out to be winner becomes my AFC Super Bowl pick because this bangles the we knew the offense would be great. And Jamar chase obviously one of the greatest receivers we've ever seen makes another incredible play yesterday. I don't think any of us could have seen how well this defense has played in the first couple of I have to say this. Well, no, what are you talking about me? Sure. Just not because I have quite clearly stated that did you know they'd be this good. I don't think it's great. I think it's I think it's middle of the packet minimum. I told you Dexter Lawrence would make a big difference. But they have legit past rushers and the rest of it. I like at least one of their cover corners. Hey, before we get to the update on our picks picks picks that we made here. I jump in with that one, but I do have to say the Jamar chase catch is already a little underrated in my book. Seriously, I think the Julian Adelman Super Bowl catch is the most unrepeatable catch in the history of people. I don't think you could ever go out there and say let's try a million times and see if you could make that exact same sequence of events happen. But I mean that Jamar chase me almost falls down how he picks himself up and has the you know what's the opposite of vertigo body control somehow that he can catch that ball spin his body and put both toes down. You know, I just want to say for the record, I cannot do that. Are you sure about that Dave should we should we go out and try that all right I don't want to because I know I can save some time Picks picks picks Dave. This was your week buddy after I went three and oh and week one You followed it up by going three and oh, so we are now tied with four points. I'll get to mine in a second You nailed the chief Wait, I'm sorry about that you're two and one. Oh, I did some bad math here. I did some very bad. I did some very bad math here Okay, sorry the chiefs did not cover the six and a half obviously because they kicked a field goal Yeah, they they kicked a field goal. Don't win the game at the end there the Panthers and Falcons state under 43 and a half The jets covered the three and a half for you. So you went two and one there Geno nailed the Niners and Dolphins saying that 13 and a half was not nearly enough points That was obviously the case the Cowboys and commanders went over 15 and a half and the Steelers wolf Wolf Tony, I missed that one too Tony Didn't talk about them. I've talked enough about them already. Yeah, seriously. That was an ugly one The Eagles did not cover the seven the Ravens and Saints both of us missed that one going over 46 and a half Which you nailed the Vikings covering the four and a half in those terrible conditions in Chicago I picked the Packers minus three and a half against the jets. They obviously did not cover And I had the Saints plus eight and a half which did cover they won outright so after Two weeks. I am in the lead with four points Dave is next up with three points and Geno and Tony are tied with two You guys should be ashamed of yourself. I am it's early buddy at least I'm a little closer Hey, before we get the JB long exciting times and so if I obviously for Rams fans and football fans the goat is back Against New York football giants very quickly shout out to Matthew Barry who on Friday's Levitar show I asked him Jaylen Waddle or DK Metcalf. I know no one cares about my fantasy team But I'm telling you about it anyway. He said Jaylen Waddle. He was right the cool cats spelled with two K's appreciated and shout out To USC on their ugly win. They almost lost to Rutgers But they did get the win and to the 49er so my pal Bald Bryan bishops team went to and oh on the weekend Bald Bryan died on Friday the great Adam Corolla sound man and beyond sidekick and hilarious Author filmmaker the rest of it 18 years after getting a diagnosis that he that was supposed to take him in six months I can see it can sincerely say I'm more happy than I am sad right now by a sliver because how much living not just surviving he did after he got that terrible diagnosis He was always a funny guy super smart like he went on who wants to be a millionaire and won a hundred thousand dollars kind of smart He was a guest here in football America so we could do our dumb actor redundancies He loved doing them because he loved finding the lazy repeats in pop culture You cannot do the same with Bald Bryan because there was just not anyone like him Another old bit of ours was the jerk list He was the OG trigger man for the hand with the hand solo edition blaster So if you'll indulge me for father time or whoever is responsible for taking Bald Bryan way too soon You're a jerk There we go hard right turn now back to football matters and It was one thing that was banging around in my head watching the games Is there a lamer recurring annual factoid then teams that start the season 0 and 2 only make the playoffs 16% of the time Yeah, I have a theory why that is also Maybe they're 0 and 2 because they suck which then also help explain why they don't go to the playoffs, right? Yeah, no, I agree Dave. I just think the the reason people pointed out is because it feels like two weeks in Your season can't possibly be over, right? But you can learn a lot about a team in two weeks, right? Like I think we've learned about a lot about the chargers in two weeks I think we've learned a lot about the sea hawks in two weeks Right like by the way the charger schedule from here on out. Oh my god. I might be oh at night Yeah, their next seven games are absolutely brutal if I just can fill a buster until I pull it up here they have the the bills the sea hawks the Broncos Kansas City the Rams Houston and Baltimore with a buy somewhere in there Look, they're probably not going to go oh and nine, but no, they'll get one. That's a legitimate possibility That schedule is brutal and they have looked rough I would like to talk about the Bengals the two and oh teams. They're one of them and I looked into this those teams that are two and oh have a better chance of reaching the playoffs than the teams that are Oh and now so making note of that one, but where the Bengals are concerned I said it yesterday. I say it again to you fellas now superman Only had to deal with the one thing which was kryptonite the burrow air and since he has had several poisoning factors Burrow's health the old line the entire defense and their inability to ever win games coming out of the gate At the start of the season, but now they are two and oh they are in first place And now they're on the Cincinnati or Cincinnati is on to Pittsburgh And they're favored to beat them there. I like this team. I like them to go to the Super Bowl Let's start with you buddy. I know you just weighed in there a little bit But you're feeling pretty good. Is there a team in the AFC that you like as much? In the AFC I mean yeah, you you have to point out what the bills have done so far They've looked absolutely fantastic against two teams that I think are going to be really good Obviously Detroit has question marks on the defensive side of the ball But we know Houston's going to be one of the best defensive teams in the league They showed it yesterday. I thought even in that loss and Buffalo just torch them for 30 plus so I as much as I hate to admit it like I love what the bills have done so far from a standpoint of looking like a Super Bowl contender Can we talk about what Patrick Mahomes has done? And I think something we all forgot about coming into this season Is the return of Eric B. Enemy? Their offense looks completely different with sleeping with Kick with the with your hind legs or something. He's just taken everybody I'm telling you I'm telling you you can't you can't have a all man. It took all It's okay. That's fine. We only have a few minutes then if you want me to write JB Tony you weigh in here you can have One team for the rest of the way the bangles the bills or the chiefs. How say you? I'm gonna stick with the chiefs. Yeah, I'm gonna stick with the chiefs and man I love the bills. I love I feel like Josh Allen right now is at the peak of his powers He's got such a command of this offense that he can do no wrong even on plays that are busted He finds Josh Palmer on a route that is supposed to be a decoy route for a touchdown for that's 55 yards Like he just knows exactly what he's doing But on the other side, I think the chiefs Were a big question are going into the season and we were looking at all right How is Kenneth Walker going to fit into this? How are they going to reshape the offense to allow Mahomes to not have to bear so much of the burden and what they've done has been like all right Kenneth Walker you're gonna average about 170 yards all-purpose and the homes is gonna go fill in after that A throwback game from Travis Kelsey like when was the last time that you saw because I was watching the game Obviously, you don't have the running stats in your head But once the last time you look down at the stats on your phone like holy shit Patrick the homes has 360 yards and three touchdowns since when what year is I just want to also reports of Travis Kelsey's demise greatly exaggerated. Yes Nine what was it nine for a hundred and one? Yeah, he found he's found a new gear that he hasn't had in the later part of his career So it feels like Yeah, they feel like and you know, I'm sure Chiefs die hearts can point me in the direction that I am wrong on this But that felt like Kelsey's best performance in Two seasons yeah watching that and as a matter of fact at some point in the second half I know it wound up in overtime and really the cults could have won that game if Who was it again The past catcher liquan liquan tread well Was that everybody's reaction to it being liquan tread well. Sorry did Now I know that he's now played for if I'm not mistaken 29 of the 30 So who originally drafted I think the quantra was a minister of Viking. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. That's correct. Look at these dudes But yeah, I mean at some point during that second half I thought Well, what were you thinking Dave? Why were you not all over this chiefs team? They are fully back Um, you know who was Dave? You know who said that guy had homes will come back even stronger You know who said he'll come back even stronger when I picked up the women MVP 350 arts three touchdowns. Look at this guy's we're not Caleb Williams jerseys. Yeah, I'm taking off and then he stepped on a landmine You guys as a guy. Yo, you need we need to have we need you to have a red flag in there to to to challenge his job I'm aware you can say I talk I told you about that team. I told you Yeah, if you say that every team is going to be good then we can go back through the files At the end of the year and and identify that buddy didn't fax say something nice about that team I'm gonna stick with the with the Bengals even though I understand that they would present as maybe the Most flawed of that trio of teams and I know we were skipping past the Ravens because they lost the tough one But they lost the tough one in a game that really probably shouldn't have been so close in in their first home outing there I'm gonna stick with the Bengals, but you know it because it's long in the rearview mirror in relative terms But that performance from Josh Allen once again e-gad man. Do you think Tony that if he gets a lumbarity, is it hyperbolic to say that he then enters the conversation just like we had a week ago about their canary being a top five Super Bowl running back, is Josh Allen planning himself in the top five Super Bowl era quarterbacks? If he gets one, um, yeah, if he gets one, I think so because we have the conversation about Aaron Rogers pre, you know, all the things that happen to him as one of the top five quarterbacks we've ever seen from a skill perspective, from a mastery of the game perspective, from a cerebral perspective as the as the head guy in charge. So yeah, I think right now, if you were to line up Josh Allen, take the lumbarities out of it, put it in a vacuum, you say, all right. And all the quarterbacks that have ever existed, look at this guy doing this thing, is he the best? And I feel like I want to say yes, right? Like better than Brady from a physical standpoint, better than Manning from a standpoint that he wasn't that athletic, like you go down the line. I feel like I have Josh Allen ahead of almost everybody who played quarterback. It's I again, yes, this sounds like prisoner of the moment kind of stuff. And obviously we're assuming that he ever gets a lumbarity and as a reminder in the best case scenario as people, you know, everybody loves to pretend that they're the world's greatest empath. When in fact, it's Dave Damishek who is. So my heart goes out to both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Both right around 30 years old and at the very best on Valentine's Day 2027, at best, one of those two cats is still without a lumbarity and the likelihood is that they both are still without a lumbarity. So you can't really as Dan Marino can tell you, you cannot really be on the list or you cannot really be a finalist for it without the all important lumbarity trophy. If he does get that though, I think what you're saying, Tony is not out of bounds. I always have said that Aaron Rogers, I said it in fact in October of 2010 that Aaron Rogers is the most gifted quarterback of all time and he'll go down as the greatest of all time. Just winning that one gets in the way of that being true. I think if Josh Allen's in there that at minimum, he is like I say, a top five. And in terms of skill set, you might put him ahead of Aaron Rogers. And I think Patrick Mahomes is one of his great rivals in that category. I think it's Rogers, Patrick Mahomes. And now I think you kind of sort of have to put Josh Allen into that conversation as well. Gina, let me know when we have when we have JB Long ready to roll here, he's just popping right now ready to call the game. We have in a moment to spare here. We he just popped in right now, Dave and let's introduce him right here with his famous radio call from the epic moment when Aaron Donald won the Super Bowl for the Rams. All means he throws it away, he flings it away on fourth down. Aaron Donald got there, Donald takes his helmet off in celebration. He flips burrow to the turf and forces the incompletion on fourth and one. He signals to his ring finger on his left hand. And you can build that man statue out so by stadium right now. The greatest of all time on defense does it in the biggest moment of Super Bowl 56. Good thing they didn't build that statue because it would be a little weird if he was walking by his own statue on his way into play a game tonight either way you just heard the voice of the Rams as well as a guy who does great work calling college football and basketball play by play. He's JB Long. What's happening? How are you? Yeah, shit, great to be with you. I feel like you go with prime time football in Los Angeles as memory serves the greatest Monday night football game in league history. You were there to witness at the Coliseum on the sideline. Were you not Gerald Everett kind of ran right past you? No, he stopped right next to me in celebration. In fact, I was at that game and I was trying to take a picture because I knew it was an iconic game in a special event that was supposed to be in Mexico City and wound up in LA instead and it was a shootout between two high end offenses. And so I tried to capture the moment with a quick picture and I stood in the corner of the end zone. And I saw over my shoulder a flash of gold running towards me and I realized, oh, that's a ram and he has the ball and he's running for a touchdown. I better get out of his way. And so I did and Everett landed right next to me and I got caught up in the moment. I'm an objective reporter, JB, you know that, but in the moment, the emotions got the better of me. So I tried to high five, Gerald Everett and he left me hanging. It reminded me a lot of Burman at Candlestick for the catch, like those two things side by with them. All right. Well, first thing I want to ask you about and I listen, I know you share a house with them and everything. Is Maurice Jones Drew going to start today by burning some sage in there to get the stink of the chargers out of that joint? You never know what MJD is going to come up with. You know, it's cool as we carpool together. So I will pick him up on my way to Sofie Stadium. We get to kind of align our minds to be ready for this moment. And game days are my favorite because I get to hang with MJD and call back to Aaron Donald is. I mean, I'm serious like we only get to do so many things that are unique and cool in this life. And for me, professionally, seeing Aaron Donald in his prime, like calling his 3D NFL defensive player of the year seasons, I'm not sure anything tops that and to see him go out on top. I know that wasn't the last play of his career, but you very well know what I mean. Having accomplished everything there was to do in this sport and say I'm full and yet want to come back two years later because the unique opportunity that the 26 Rams present. I know the question was about MJD, but I feel like every answer on my mind is going to end with Aaron Donald today. If that makes sense. Oh, you're so classy, JB Long. I'm sure your adversary in the play by play booth, Matt Money Smith is, is duly impressed by that. Yeah. Listen, man, I hear you on the, the special and unique events in life that you've gotten to be a part of and getting to hang with Maurice is a great treat at any time. Now, I don't know if you heard, but there was a lot of stuff made about the Rams first game this season over in Melbourne, jet lag your thoughts. I think, I think John Harbaugh is trolling us. Did you see that he flew the Giants in on Saturday night? I'm not sure if it was to hang with his brother, have dinner, like go to the Chargers game, but he's, it's like he was from afar saying, Oh, the Rams are taking a lot of inbounds about their travel light tenor areas. What if I just kind of rub some salt in that wound by bringing my Giants out and fully acclimating to the Pacific time zone 48 hours before Monday night football? I that, that, I don't know if that's like him or not, but I did have that on my mind. Like Melbourne is such a distant memory, it feels like a month ago. Part of that is just the mind work that it takes to go to the other side of the world. Truly a great experience, by the way. I mean, I'm so glad that I got to spend three full days there before the game and have a lot of positive font memories. I'm taking a lot of solace in week one line, check. And that was the thought ringing around my head as I watched a lot of week too. You know, like I thought Ben Johnson and the Bears were probably going to score 60 points per game and lead the league this season didn't get it touched down yesterday. And there's about six other examples that I could point to. The Giants are a very good one, you know, they're rightly sitting on top of the world right now. They were very impressive in week one. And I hope that by the end of tonight, there's some regression and progression to the mean on both sides of the equation, because that's the life we lead. I mean, I want a deep dive in with you. I appreciate you joining us. I know this is a work day for you. If you hear the honk of a horn and it's Marie's waiting for you out there, don't worry. You can run out the door if need be. But and, you know, I want to, you know, you kind of touch on the Giants and, you know, how they looked against America's alleged team a week ago and all that. I want to hear more though about, you know, being in the moment of air in Donald. It's funny. Of course, as a as a Pittsburgher, he went to pit and Mario Lemieux and adopted Pittsburgh trigger, you know, retire and then came back and is arguably the go to his sport air. And Donald, perhaps the NFL's greatest defender of all time, what's it been like bouncing off of him in the last say six weeks or so in the run up to this return? I think we were texting behind the scenes. You know, I ended up in the Pittsburgh airport a couple weeks back on my college travels. And as you come through their beautiful new terminal, there's like this LED board that displays a bunch of advertisements and one of them is for pit for pit football and touting their professional football hall of Famers. So I saw that come through. I was like, wait a second, I got to get my phone out and record it the next time it comes through. Get a shot of Aaron Donald, which, you know, knucklehead me, who knows where my mind was. He's not in it yet. But the second time that it came around and I realized he's definitely not on that list yet. His time has not yet arrived. I've just taken it as a forward on conclusion. It was a reminder that he's chosen voluntarily to reset his clock back to five years by playing tonight and coming out of retirement. Right. And I think that's just such a cool deal. You know, is that by the way, is that have you ever asked him if because also delayed is getting the statue that will someday you assume wind up in front of his eye? Is the pose, obviously him pointing at the ring? I don't think there's any, there's no greater image. in my mind. Well, him tackling a quarterback with the quarterback's teammate. He's done that on more than one occasion. That's true. It's either that or him being triple teams, but like just an anonymous line and that would be pretty cool as well. But it was a summation of so much as I go back in time that team that era was built around Aaron Donald's prime. You had a transcendent superstar. And so the move for Matthew Stafford doesn't happen if you don't have Aaron Donald. That sense of urgency doesn't happen without Aaron Donald. And similarly, he had accomplished everything there was individually. All that was left to cement his legacy was to win it all. And so that moment orbited around him and for him to point to his ring finger and literally say, ring me, it was the culmination of so much. It was, this is what I've been waiting for. This is what I've been straining for. He went to the mountaintop and met the Patriots just a few years prior, you know, a Superbowl in which his team did not score a touchdown. And I know how frustrated he was by that. So to see him deliver not just in that game, but in the NFC championship game with a play that was very similar against Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niners. It wasn't all about him. It cheapens the Matthew Stafford and the Cooper Cup and the Andrew Whitworth and the so many other contributors. But that was his window. And now we're in Matthew Stafford's window or what's left of it. And I think him coming back is a reminder of how similarly urgent you have to be. The trade for Trent McDuff, he doesn't happen if Matthew Stafford is a New York giant, for instance. The trade for Miles Garrett doesn't happen if Matthew Stafford doesn't win the MVP last year. And just as one final reminder of how fast NFC life comes at you, the only two Rams position players who played snaps in that Superbowl are Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald in a handful of years. Essentially the entire 53 man roster has churned. By the way, you mentioned it and I have to go back. Pit has the greatest collection, arguably of 22 players that you could feel. If you had a time machine and could put all the collegians together at age 21ish, I think pit would have a chance against the U Alabama USC or anyone else you throw out there. But yeah, I have to I have to tell you and if I didn't think it was a great call, I would have just said nothing, but I did text you later that night after they won the Superbowl. That was a singular moment in Aaron Donald's great, you know, perhaps the greatest defensive career in NFL history. You nailed that call. You'll never be in a bigger spot than calling the game winning play of a Superbowl. Well, I don't feel that way and we can connect on that off line. But yeah, that's neither here nor there. The moment was about Aaron. And if I did anything right, I let my eyes be drawn to Aaron in it. And whereas I could have and probably should have made it more about the Rams, having clinched the Superbowl in that stroke, I couldn't resist the emotions that I felt seen him accomplish an individual goal in the biggest teen context, right? Like that was so many other people's moments. So anyways, I'm not the purpose of this show, not the purpose of this day, but I have a bitter sweet touch of scar tissue on that moment. And it will be a little bit healed today, seeing him play again. That's it. So if I stayed him, I guess you get a redo, but if we still have the Hansel edition blaster, somebody throw a shot in the J. I'm coming on here and denounce yourself. But I'll ride with my opinion. I thought it was a marvelous call. All right. I don't want to hold you up too long. Like I say, I know Maurice is out there waiting for you, but very quickly, I think this is a potentially fascinating thing because I said that who can the kua is the jenga piece of the NFL 2026 before the season kicked off, which is to save you remove him the whole thing in clothes. Really, what do you anticipate from McVeigh? Obviously he can cook up something if anybody can. But really, I feel like they're pretty deficient in terms of past catchers without Puka. I've heard you say this before. And I think there's a lot of truth to it. And there's a little bit of pushback that I would like to give you in your audience because if you were to rewind time this time last year, the Rams had drafted essentially a first round tie then in Terrence Ferguson, technically a second round pick. But they said that they would have taken him in the first round. Have they not traded back? And he was a healthy scratch last September. You know, it'd been a little banged up in training camp. He wasn't up to speed in the offense. And it was like, what's going on here? Like they drafted this guy. There's like some Travis Kelsey overtones and whispers. Why is he not contributing yet? Well, because the Rams only played one tight end at a time. They're notoriously an 11 personnel team. And then they go to play the Baltimore Ravens and Puka gets hurt. And they're staying on the east coast to take the red eye to London and play that game. It becomes clear that Puka is not going to be a part of that offense. And lo and behold, the genesis of 13 personnel is born. And they go out and put five touchdowns on the Jaguars. Matthew Stafford has a day, Devonte Adams best day as a Ram. And there's no Puka there. And they take the league by storm. And here we are a year later, everyone's acquiring trading for drafting tight ends. Unlike an era we've seen in quite some time. And if Puka doesn't play tonight, I hope that it's part of the ongoing narrative that what the Rams have done best and now a decade of success under Sean McVeyes solve problems. Like he pushes things to the anth degree. When he finds a Cooper cup and can't keep him off the field, they live in 11 and they go fast and they run outside zone to tie purely and they give the league hell. But that's not all you can do. When outside zones no longer work and they can go to do it, they can get big in front of Matthew Stafford. They can come down hill on you with a Kyron Williams. And once again, be a historically efficient running game to go from playing one tight end at a time to leading the league in three tight end personnel. And again, being the number one scoring team in the national football league, it speaks to his ingenuity. I think it speaks to Matthew Stafford's flexibility. A guy who loves to play mad in style shotgun spread full field read football is willing to go under center and adopt the Shanahan McVeyes system and have the best year of his career. I don't know what they're going to do tonight. But I've seen enough to know that Sean's the greatest coach in Rams history, not because he's had the best rosters in the national football league, though he's had some great ones. The Rams have been to now three NFC championship games under his leadership, not because they've had the most favorable past. They've never been the one seed in now 10 years that he's been on the job. We know they travel more miles than any team in the national football league. We know they have to go on silent counting their own stadium often, right? So it's not those things. It's not the best rosters, not the best injury luck. It's just consistently iterating and doing the next right thing. Let's face it. Half the NFL now has a meaningful contributor to the Rams success under Shanahan McVey. They know what goes on in that building doesn't mean they could emulate it. It's too much in my opinion, by the way. It's a Rams guy. Like you're taking all our stuff. It's like, well, because we learned from your head coach, right? Everyone wants to talk about the Rams should have left for Australia sooner. You know what? I hurt the Rams. I mean, among a long list of things, Miles Garrett, not being healthy one of them, the fact that Sean McVey's brothers in football are on the opposing sideline, like Kyle canahan and Rocky. Like, you know, like those guys literally know the thought process of a Sean McVey. Of course they do. It's backyard football when those when those teams get together. All that to say, there's a very real chance the Rams go to owe in two tonight. There's a very real chance the Randers staring down the barrel of one and four before Miles Garrett gets back on the field or worse, right? Maybe this just isn't their year. Or maybe it's going to just take the slow stubborn persistence to find a way back into the dance. And if they do get there in January with most, surely not all, but with most of this roster that they assembled the offseason, which I think the consensus was was the best in the NFL. They're going to be itself out and nobody's going to want to see them coming. Yeah. Well, little adversity for the latest, greatest team of all time. By the way, I'm offended on Ray Malovacy's behalf that you said the Sean McVey is the greatest coach of in Rams history. But either way, listen, I wish for you with the season once again, winding up in so fire reminder, only one team has ever played a home game and won a Super Bowl on their home field. Rams are kind of sort of set up to do exactly that once again. That's not true. In February, but a lot of time to go before then, JB Long, have a great time tonight. Get back on track. Give my best to Marie. So would you? I will. I'm sorry to be that guy, but that guy Tom Brady kind of did the year before I was just going to say. Wait a second. Yeah, it happens. David had never happened. And then it happened two years in a row. We all memory hold it. We all memory holds just because there was no one there. It doesn't mean it didn't. There is no one there. The COVID year in all sports only counts for half. So that's maybe a half. So it's like what happened one and a half times. That's the second time you've contradicted me long. That's one time too many. Be gone off the sofa. Please, great stuff, JB Long, dynamite. Make sure you're checking them out on the radio. I texted. In fact, Marie said half time while they were in Melbourne. I mean, the temerity, the guys working and I'm and I'm sending them texts. But that's how good I thought JB and Marie sounded on that call in the hour I had while I was matriculating my myself up the 405 to go watch my boy play a special Thursday night high school football game. Hey, we at LeBat know a thing or two about friendly rivalries born in Canada, brewed in the U.S. United by the sacred art of trash talk because the best kinds of friendships come with nicknames you didn't approve stories you can't escape and just enough roasting to keep things on is so when your team is staring down third and long crack a cold one roast responsibly and give a toast to the people who give you the hardest time LeBat rude for the roast all right fell was great stuff there from JB long I think it sets us up neat neatly to discuss this Monday night game before we do though very quickly a real drag of a Thursday night game and since we won't have a chance to properly discuss with our fellow football Americans between now and then let's give that game a quick pick. In fact let's jump into the Delorean and go ahead to the near future so we can know with some detail how this game turned out. It was the Atlanta Falcons in Lambo and play the Green Bay Packers the Packers somehow rallied the beat for Jens. The Packers are were laying seven in this one. I was happy for Packers fans that they went out there on a Thursday night and they came away with a ten point victory Tony what's that out to you? What's it out to me ah geez Jordan love I mean I don't I don't love him right like I mean that's too simplistic I mean come on analyze the game man no no no the fat Tony's confused here you threw Tony off we're we're in the Delorean now we have the head to fry it yes yes the Falcons have lost to the Packers we're sitting in the chair the Falcons have lost to the Packers yes yes yes I got you I got it I got it well again it stands I didn't love Jordan love like he there's there's moments where against bad competition he plays really well and that that also translates to when he's playing good competition he goes up and in in you know performance but I don't know what the Packers are okay they beat the Falcons everybody beats the Falcons we line up us five guys here we could probably have a good chance to beat the Falcons I'm at intercept Cooper rush three times like that's not the point the point is who are you when you don't have these bad teams on your schedule how do you play against Minnesota against the Bears against the Lions against the Jets right like that there's no reason that game should have gone into overtime like you were you were dead in the water you got lucky so there's no reason though as Dan said on Monday's laboratory show there's no reason the Packers were even allowed back into that game exactly was such a jetsy kind of a loss and we would be having a very different conversation if they were a combined oh and four on Thursday night football I don't know about that online maybe they turn a corner defensively when Micah Parsons returns let's get into the Monday night game we saw that one a few nights ago before we jumped into the Delorean it was the New York Giants paying a visit to SoFi Stadium and the Los Angeles Rams Giants obviously came off of a impressive win against America's alleged team the Rams in this one were laying seven heading in and they covered it narrowly 28 to 20 buddy what stood out to you I disagree here Dave I think that I the way I saw it the Giants covered that seven points and the Rams still got the victory but the Giants covered that seven because the Rams offense without Puka Nakua was a tough watch I mean where do they turn to I know they've got Devonte Adams and he caught a touchdown tonight you know and as he did all of last season seemingly but it just feels like they're missing that element with Puka and they just can't get off the ground Aaron Donald it was fun to see him back I can imagine he'll look even better when Miles Garrett is also operating on that defensive line with him boy this is tough it's really hard to do this now that I'm thinking about it Trent McDuffy is a great ad for the Rams but yeah they just kind of can't get off the ground just yet they'll get better as the season goes on for them it's not about what happens in September it's about what happens in January Tony I said you know before the season that I thought that the or before the game that the Rams were going to cover that and so I look smart for that being the case I'm I also said last spring that the Pittsburgh Steelers should have taken Jackson Dart he's looked pretty good to this point and by the way so it's Tyler Schuck both better than Derek Harmon the defense of tackle where you surprise to see Jackson Dart against this defense kind of return to the mean a little bit after the boundless performance against the Cowboys in week one not really right like this is kind of what we know about Jackson Dart he has these super high peaks but kind of low valleys in a sense where all right am I gonna try to force the rush here do I want to trust my offensive line do I want to trust the developing routes going down the field or do I want to break out a containment and like try to get yards on my own and that's where you have that dynamic push and pull of all right I'm a dynamic athlete I can get out get myself out of trouble but do I put myself in more trouble trying to get out of trouble than I do by just sitting there and doing what I'm supposed to do which is letting routes develop so it's not something that I was completely shocked by like there's a mean where he rushes I'd say the magic number for me is seven if he has seven does either design runs or breakout runs that he can get past the line of scrimmage on I'm very happy the moment starts ticking up to eight nine ten eleven twelve I start worrying because of the injury history because of men you take some shots in the secondary via linebackers via defensive lineman running back to the play via safety and corners like there's too much exposure there for Jackson Dart and I think he needs to tame that down a little bit Gino the fantasy fountain best wishes to camp scataboo obviously you have to pick up tyrone tracy because not surprisingly scataboo is going to be down a little bit here now I'm a little hazy though I don't know why it was a few days ago now who stood out on Monday night football and fantasy terms well I think it might be let me see was it who was Devonte Adams Devonte Adams you know he got all the touchdowns caught a touchdown he's in his advanced stage he's putting up numbers we'll see how he does when he gets back at advanced stage man's 34 years old come on it's not that advance it's very young actually that's seen yourself incredibly young actually Dave what do you think about that I mean we're talking football terms right yeah he's he's an old man hey um here's a question for you as we project forward over the course uh let's get back to the here and now let's uh when wait Dave can I take can I take one more trip in the delorean do you mind I suppose if if I take a trip in the delorean total of 2027 yeah I know we we got to save it all up but I jump to April 27 the Steelers just selected Trinidad Chamblis in the first round how do you feel about that because I like it I like it a lot I think he fits their timeline perfectly what do you have to say Dave I mean you know you heard what I had to say at the at the very top of show they're starting to feel to me they're one too many failures in terms of team building that are troubling and by the way the offensive line what they're trying to do it's not the pieces in my estimation uh Tony I'm certainly not an old line expert and would defer to you on this but I don't think it's great I like the pedigree of the individual pieces for the most part on the Steelers offensive line what I don't like is in the off season the new coaching staff coming in and basically saying fatanu I know you were doing all right at right tackle last season now you're left tackle ill and cook swing over to the right side and pieces moving here and there in between I think it's a mess I'm sorry I'm just trying to think of are they going to be able to we can talk about uh moving the deck chairs around but this is increasingly starting to feel like a team that is lost that see in terms of its uh overarching decision making I would say even worse than lost to see were rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic right like that's that's what it feels like when you have what what happened this past week uh it's Aaron Rogers with all the blitzes the the the lack of blitz pickup I know Dotto is out for a little bit but they weren't able to do anything from a from a protection standpoint on uh on Aaron Rogers it's like yeah you have somebody maybe more athletic back there like a trinidad chambles like a Jackson dart like a Tyler Schuck that could get away from some of that stuff but fundamentally right but like fundamentally your issue is your rearranging guys on that line to play different positions and it's like are we sure that this is the right move are we just doing this to make everybody feel happy inside the uh side the front office last 60 seconds of the show and I wanted to get you on this one Tony I heard you have buzzing about the you for obvious reasons they survived at way surviving events one the game no apologies there would you rather have the rest of the way the you or the entire SEC who's who's near future do you prefer oh um the entire SEC that's tough I mean I because the you is a lock the only game they might lose is to Notre Dame and maybe pit but probably only the Notre Dame is their one real is their one test the rest yeah um I'd man I'll probably stay with Miami I probably stay with Miami even though like let's see what Georgia has um Ole Miss I really like oh big one for Ole Miss this weekend coming into the swamp I mean they've had a coming up on Friday until then thanks so much my fellow football Americans it's been a thin slice of heaven * Musik *