Go back

The Cleat Stomp Heard Around the World | Hour 2

41m 32s

The Cleat Stomp Heard Around the World | Hour 2

The Dunlabata Show highlights several critical NFL developments. Caleb Williams’ injury is a major storyline, with the Bears’ offense collapsing from 59 to three points, signaling a dramatic shift in expectations and team potential. The Falcons’ quarterback dilemma features Jack Strang replacing Cooper Rush, amid growing speculation that Strang may be disinterested in continuing his career due to injury and performance issues, despite guaranteed pay. The Chiefs are emerging as a potent force, with Kenneth Walker’s breakout play-action performances and 14 completions challenging defenses and altering the league’s offensive landscape. The show also touches on defensive excellence, noting Devon Lloyd’s dominant performance against multiple opponents, while questioning the ethics of optical illusions used to confuse kickers, leading the NFL to enforce new rules. Additionally, the discussion extends to broader issues in the sport, such as the overuse of long field goals, the aggressive tactics in fourth-down decisions, and the growing tension in NASCAR involving Carson Hosevar and Ryan Blaney. The analysis concludes with a critical observation: Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker’s synergy has created a team that can win in any scenario, redefining how defenses must prepare. The show also underscores the disparity in Super Bowl MVP payouts, noting that high-impact performers like Walker earn far below what their performance justifies. Overall, the segment blends in-depth game analysis with thematic commentary on player motivation, team dynamics, and the evolving culture of sports.

Transcription

7394 Words, 39004 Characters

English
You are listening to the Dunlabata Show in partnership with the DraftKin Sports app now live in all 50 estates. I need some assistance from the group because this is getting sloppy and I got to get my timing right so that I can get to number one. I feel like I'm going too fast, but it appears like I'm not going fast enough. We're only at 25 of football observations. And I've got to get through these before the end of the show because they are increasing in importance. That's why I say number five Caleb Williams injury at number five is pretty substantive given that you've got a team that's going from scoring 59 points to scoring three and as a stories as low. That's the best Bears quarterback there has ever been. Yes. That franchise does not know that city does not know what it is to have that kind of hope at the position. I can make the case that they've never expected more from a quarterback than they expected from him in that game coming off of 59 points and Ben Johnson saying all off season. We're going to have the best offense in the league and I want to have the best offense in terms of scoring that there's ever been something you never hear a coach say. You could feel the fear through your television in Chicago when he's on the ground screaming in the silence because he's been hurt with a non-contact injury and all of us I think assume that was in a kill. Based on the fact that he screamed and had to be carried to a cart and screamed in a way as as it's really rare on a Sunday for a stadium at home to go so quiet. That you can hear the quarterback screaming in pain and it's redundant for what the fan base is feeling because they're terrified that there goes this season of great expectations when I can't think of any time in history that the Bears have thought they're going to win the Super Bowl because of their quarterback outside of Jim McMahon. They've literally never had a 4,000 yard quarterback still Caleb Williams hasn't even done it like they've never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards and certainly you believe Caleb Williams will be the one to do it this year. We all expected the Vikings defense to slow down the Bears, but we said last week this is a curious identity for a team that plays in Chicago in very poor weather down the stretch. Now we're only in week two and we saw that offense not just get impacted by Brian Flores, but the weather as well. It's the biggest drop off in week over week and NFL history when it comes to an offense about but we'll get dance thoughts when he gets to number five. Well, and how about the panthers allowed 59 points in week one to the Bears in the Falcon score just three against them the next week. Like I understand it's a Cooper Russian Jack strand, but there's some weird stuff going on with two. He's never going to play for them. Yeah, I agree. No, he'll never play for them. I agree. This feels like he doesn't want to play that I think there's a I think there's a real possibility that what's going on is he doesn't want to play football anymore. But he won't get his money if he just retires because he's clearly not being forced into a medical retirement. I don't know that he wants to play football. Well, he's going to get his money because it's guaranteed money that the dolphins are paying him this season. He's working on a very small contract in Atlanta. He's getting his money after this year. But after this year, he won't get the money after this year. He's still owed a little bit. He's getting plenty of money that he will be paid whether he plays or not. I don't love to theorize that someone doesn't want to play when they're injured. It's said to be an oblique injury that's keeping him out of practice. Oh, it's bleak all right. And I don't think those as that it's fair to say that someone doesn't want to play football and then accuse them of not wanting to play football just for the money when most of their money is guaranteed. Just question, just question for a player who we've had conversations about and he has admitted has thought about retirement. If he's gotten to a point in his career where he's not a good football player anymore and he knows he's not the same football player that he was, could he be sane to himself? I don't know if I want to do this anymore. I think it's possible. Well, some are saying that, including Todd Haley who looks like he's a swinger now that looks like another Todd. Yeah, Todd Haley theorized that he's told people that he's retiring and that's that's what's going on over there. Roy, this talking about the Falcons quarterback situation made me think of you yesterday. What is your hotel pseudonym? Jack speed. Yeah, so the Falcons went to Jack Strand after Cooper Rush went to the sidelines and he might like Jack Strand for a little bit in the preseason. He showed us a little sum sum and then we were like, all right, man, ecology dead. Strand is going to be in and then those are pick six. He showed you a strand of something. Jack Strand replacing Cooper Rush. The Falcons have the most dismal situation in the league because those skill position guys are good. I mean, I mean, you've got a beach on Robinson. I don't know about Kyle Pence. I'm never going to know. But at least the guys that they're waiting on gives you reason to hope a little bit on panics. A little bit. Apparently they're hoping he plays this Thursday. I think we all are. Number 25 is the Eagles. That was their first win against the Titans or any previous incarnation of the Titans on the road since 1991. Since 1991, you have to go back to the Oilers. It's crazy and they were very, very close to not winning that game. Cam Ward came very close to winning that game when they announced that stat on television. The first thought that came to my mind was there are definitely people watching this game who are saying who the hell or the Houston Oilers put on the pull at Levitard show. Were there people watching yesterday saying who the hell are the Houston Oilers? Did you guys zazz where you watching Tony has a very popular UFC stream that he does live off of the Saturday night events on UFC? Were you watching this weekend amid all of your other sports watching? No, I was in roll the weekend. So I didn't see the UFC live, but I did see reaction clips of Tony and Lewis to the big moments on Saturday night, which was Gabel Steve's and get knocked out. Twelve seconds in, realistic like five seconds into the fight because there was a bit of a chess match going on for positioning in the first seven seconds. And then Sean Sharov just absolutely nuked Gabel Steve's in into the ether. It was like Gabel Steve's and never had been punched before. Yeah, it was it was weird. It was like if I took that punch. Correct. Correct. It was like, here's a guy who just got off the street. He's going to try to fight a fighter. All right, let's see how this goes. Oh, we got knocked out. And he was like, oh, the way that he was like trying to block the punch, it's like it was, it was like he doesn't, like, yes, he's a wrestler. He was an NCAA wrestler. He wrestled the Olympics, but it was like he didn't know how to fight. Biggest favorite on the card, I believe, from a numbers perspective. Was he minus 2500? No, but it was amateur hour afterward, too. Here, Daniel Cormier is great talking about. He was great fighting, but he's also great talking about fighting. And here he's talking about the embarrassment afterward. Gabel made some mistakes there. You know, you're a for no fighter, wrestle. You have to. And also you stand there and you take your lick whenever you lose. You let that man get his hand raised and you stand there no matter how you feel. If you, if you're a dentist, cry. I did it. Happy. There's the truth. But you take your lick whenever stuff don't, you cannot be a great winner, but then an ungrateful loser. And I think that was bad by Steven. Look, you, you already have the thought that this is a low character dude anyway. He's got a super checkered past. He was accused of rape a while ago. And that obviously is an extremely big deal. So he's not necessarily a very popular character anyway. And then to have Daniel Cormier, who rightfully so comes out with that where you leave the cage before the decision. You stand up there like it's it's a part of good sportsmanship. And you know what? You can't just say something like Daniel, you know, that he, you know, he was concussed. He doesn't know what's going on. You got a whole team of trainers there, including John Jones, who understands the proper protocol and what sportsmanship is supposed to look like after these fights. I can go without seeing Gabel Steve's in again. He, he seems like very low character to me. It was a terrible look, especially when there's been guys that have been put to sleep in the octo and that have no oxygen to their brains in the octo and that have been knocked out so viciously. That the handbrains is still happening and they're getting woken up behind them and for you not to stand there and do what your duty is, which is a stand there and watch the other guy get raised because you went to war with him shows me. You are not ready for this. And Zaz told me like he had he had led the the WWE. He was a bomb with WWE. He, WWE had signed them for several years and did absolutely nothing but take their money like literally did nothing. So with that, it's like this is the last time they were trying to feed him guys that are lower tier in the ranks to try and boost him up a little bit. Kind of like what they did with Patty. See, all right. Do we have a star here? Do we have a heel turn villain? This is not a star. This is not a guy who's a star, even though in the fight prior that he had he knocked out his opponent. So maybe he thought, all right. Let me sit here and try to fight this guy. I'm going to give him a little bit and then I'll knock about or I'll take him to the ground and wrestle him. Shara said, all right, here perfect left hand, nuke them number 24. Shuck and the Saints have my undivided attention. 15 coming around on them. I just am really surprised what he's doing late in games. The amount of poise for someone who has not played that much while I hear a whole bunch of people still quiet. Drak May, two games into the season. I'm a little startled to see the Saints which had the worst salary cap situation in the sports. The Saints were God awful last year. Going into the Ravens after the Ravens did what they did in week one, going in and casting shadows around the Ravens because you can't slow their offense. I was expecting that offense to get slow. They play in a terrible division. Everybody in that division last year was a loser like just the sports should have teams coming into the playoffs from other divisions that don't qualify. So I don't have to see anybody from Carolina or the Bucks or the Saints or any of these teams in the playoffs. A Panthers pushed the Rams in the playoffs last year. Do you remember correct? I do. And I also remember correctly that the Panthers shouldn't have been in the playoffs because the winner of that division shouldn't have been in that playoffs because it was a terrible division. Does it throw you off when Kenny Albert correctly correctly calls him Travis Etchen? I don't like it. It throws me off. His name's Etienne. Well, but Etienne already told us or Etchen already told us we've been pronouncing it wrong. There's a statute of limitations. It's what they call. Yeah, you're also pronouncing it wrong. Yeah, Etchen, that is true. Etchen is the way that it should be Etienne. Well, but he's saying it's H and he's saying that we're all pronouncing it. Should it told us right away. You can't expect me to go years of saying your name one way and then all of a sudden you want to change it. And if you're like, well, that makes two running backs that are now called HHN. No, it doesn't because HN's name should be HN. Yeah. So put it on the poll at Levitard. Should HN's name be HN and should Etienne's name be HN? Speaking of HN, whichever one you want, Saints need to get looked at for what they're doing to Travis Etchen. Because given two carries, I think of the first half. And Alvin Cormara, who had just come off a knee injury, had like 10. It's like, what's going on there? They gave him how much? The Saints had an unspeakably bad salary cap situation. The worst in the league. Mickey Lumas is mocked from other executives about everything they built going all in on a team that was terrible. But did the Saints just find on a scrap heap of quarterback? Like did the Saints find a quarterback that's like a third-round pick? None of us were thinking would be what it is that Chuck has been. I don't know how it is that you guys are looking at the Saints. But they are doing things off offensively that I've been surprised by because that team was unspeakably bad. If you were paying attention to how they were looking towards a tail end of the season, there were signs there. I think they were on the right track. I don't know how to describe them as unspeakably bad. They were six games. No, they did some stuff. They were turning around. That is usually a pretty good forecast here. He's a second-round pick. That's not the scrap heap. I think Kellen Moore was also the biggest thing for them offensively to get them going because he was great when he was over with Philly. Now getting Tyler Schuck his guy in to be fair, they don't have their full complement of players either. You can say this, but if Schuck were three years younger, he would have been a top 10 pick. His age was all against him. He's a Mario Christball recruit. Football season can make maintaining any routine difficult. You stay up for the late game, grab whatever food is nearby, and promise you'll get back on track tomorrow. Then another game arrives and suddenly tomorrow means February. The lasting weight loss isn't simply about having more willpower. It's about finding an approach that works with your biology, habits, and lifestyle. Noom is the leading behavior change company, helping people lose weight and keep it off. The Noom GLP1 program combines weight loss medication with psychology-based support, medical guidance, and personalized tools to help you build healthier habits and work toward lasting results. The Noom GLP1 program starts at $39, and medication can be delivered to your door in as little as seven days. Start your GLP1 journey today at Noom.com. That's N-O-O-M dot com. Noom, lose for keeps. Initial one month subscription from $39 plus tax and $99 plus tax per month thereafter cost of medication not included. Final pricing depends upon program selection. Dan Lebatar. I've never stepped foot on that campus. If you told me right now, your life depends on it. Go to Santa Fe University and just take a picture. Jenna dan sassilo. I would die. I don't know where it is. This is the Dan Lebatar show. Number 23. No player in the sport defensively had a better game yesterday than Panthers linebacker Devon Lloyd. Always surprised when anybody in a secondary linebacker defensive back makes an interception with one hand. Always surprised because of how bad the hands are in the secondary. But then also after that had a stiff arm with the one hand that he had caught the football with that will be on Kyle Brandt's angry runs and then also had a touchdown as well. Just a total menace whether it was Cooper Russian, the game or Jack Strand, whoever was in the game. It did not matter. Go ahead. I'm defying you guys to come up with somebody who had a better game defensively than Devon Lloyd yesterday. Any of you can pick from you can pick at any point in the weekend. Just going to say Fred Warner and feel safe. So Mike, I believe you have shocked the audience by saying that Fred Warner is better than Ray Lewis. I believe that that is a take that is better than any so far of whatever it is. My 30 takes are except for the one where I said that Ross Tucker is as good as anyone in the game, including Trey Akman. Well, the reason why I say Fred Warner does a little bit more in past coverage and he it's being played differently right now. So he chases players down in ways that you know Ray Lewis was playing within the hash marks. This guy is just doing unbelievable physical things on a football field with an agility and athleticism that you don't see out of that position. Certainly not out of the 90s. It's a different type of running back to have the success that he's having right now. And I think he flashes more than any other linebacker in the game. And yeah, I'll just come on and say it. Better than Ray Lewis. Oh, so Tom Brady said that during the game yesterday. It was a reaction to Jaden Daniels being hurt and I think a lot of people reacted that way because it makes you said when a young player is hurt like that. And the injury is gruesome enough that they're not re showing it for you. But I thought that was the second most uncomfortable injury in that game. Here was the first right here. This is the cowboys stumbling over the cowboys and that cleat going directly into the area of the body where I didn't think there was a circumstance under which that could happen to explain this to the audio audience. I did not think that there was a circumstance in which a cowboys player could be clumsy tripping over another player who's already injured on the floor and tripping on him in a way where the cleat goes straight into just the region of the body that it cannot go into. Like it's I'm going to say that that's the worst place other than perhaps the eye for that to happen like I don't think that you want all of that cleatage in the entirety of that nether region there. A spectacular amount of clumsiness from the cowboys there. So we're doing the math here. He's got it. He's got the cleat in his butt. Well, but it's all it's the entire region. It's everything but it's also it's just grumbled. It's everything. It's the whole show the taint the grumbled that guy wears like a size 14 cleat to look at that shoe. It's a huge cleat. It's a monster cleat. You're getting a spike on the tip too. Yeah, it's it's the whole package. Oh, no, let's think about this for a second. Okay. You're on your stomach. You're already injured. You're hurting. You're writhing on the ground. You're in a vulnerable and prone position and you're teaming the guy who has to be at your side in times of trouble. Your teammate is so clumsy that his left foot is twisting and it looks like he's twisting his ankle because he stepped on your right foot and then in the clumsiness of not being able to keep his balance. He repositioned himself and finds his footing by placing his foot right up your like right up there. Oh, I've never I've never seen yet right up there. Yes, that's correct. I've never I have never seen a cleat go that firmly that directly into the one place that you can't have it go if you're the prone defender who's already injured and has nothing to protect here other than his pride. The tip of the cleat could be crushing the scrotum as well. The whole thing deeply unpleasant emphasis on the deeply you know about that scrotum crushing right side other injury probably doesn't hurt as much anymore. 21 on my exclusive to this show observations. There was another Bella check cheating scandal quietly over the weekend revealed where they do optical illusions on their scoreboards with the Patriots to confuse opposing kickers. how great was that just to read this weekend as Bellichand have you finally got around to that dude that was a no that was three weeks ago a nice little bomb yeah yeah no it's that was good and the data backs it up that it worked well what I got around to was the fact that the NFL has now made new rules the news that has been that came out this weekend is that because of the amount of chatter that that has caused over the last three weeks the NFL is now monitoring its jumbo trance so that you can't put optical illusions on there to confuse the kickers and all over the sport yesterday I am now at the point with the accuracy of kickers that when someone doesn't make a 58 yard field goal or comes up short on a 58 yard field goal I'm like you bum like you what's the matter with you why can't you make all like these teams that just the 50 yard field goal put it on the pole at Lebetard show is the 50 yard field goal more automatic than it has ever been because I think fairbaring missed a 58 yard or this week or came up short on one by and it was by like half a yard like he was bear he was barely short it was dead it was dead straight on and and I'm I'm now at the point where I'm surprised if you're not making the 60 yarder Dan I'm so tired of it I think Tony sent me I did Tony sent me a text who who was the kicker who he's damn little Dan who's he play for please for the jacks yeah so they're showing Tony sent me a text homeboy is warming up before the game no 70 78 yards he's warming up before the game hitting 78 yard field goals so they're telling me if the jaguars have the ball around their own 45 look for them to attempt a field goal I'm like screw this I'm so tired of these field goals nobody watches football for the field goal kicker for this scrawny guy to go out there and decide the football game I want touchdowns you you got these kicks that are if it's if it's anywhere under 60 yards like you said it's automatic it's enough already can you make it adjustment your damn they have to take the post and shorten them yeah it doesn't have to be a rena football but you got to bring the post closer together or shorten them you're talking about could change not as wide changing the win yeah yeah like it's enough already nobody wants field goals if Cam little comes up and at times a 78 yard boom you'd be glued I'm a boom you'd be glued what if he hits it what if he drew a boo you'll boo if he draws a 78 yard field goal you'll boom nobody toons into a football game saying I hope the kicker who's not a real football player kicks a really long field goal that it is so cool it's not put it on the pole at levitar show does anyone tune into football to watch the kicker you like watching Steph and Dan Lucio from half court that they don't regularly shoot from half to four Steph Curry could shoot from wherever he wants if he pulls up 40 feet from the back and shoots great great you know you're not having too much great you name two players every kicker is making everything under 60 yards except for the dolphins kicker this probably patterns you might suck Mike why are you wearing the gear head is it because of all of the fights that broke out this weekend in racing didn't ask our win the weekend well no but they won social media over the weekend this sport it's embedded in the culture Dan sometimes anyone that's been behind the wheel of a car can understand sometimes you just want to fight another driver on the road with you and we've been telling you for weeks here on gear head Carson Hosevar is rubbing people the wrong way but the fans love him for it now I thought Ryan Blaney at Bristol was a little out of line in that he took offense to something that I didn't think Carson Hosevar was all in the wrong he went down to block him and Hosevar had already made his move down low and he's like you're not going to do that to me and that's how Carson Hosevar drives but on the list of offenses this wasn't that bad anyways I guess it was a drop in a bucket situation all the drivers have had enough of Carson Hosevar's crap so Ryan Blaney confronts Carson Hosevar and Hosevar noxem not once but twice gives him a black eye nox Ryan Blaney's hat clean off and then by the way Blaney does come back in there and get some a little piece to he got a shot in but tough one for Ryan Blaney that was a great almost cinematic angle that was following Ryan Blaney from the very start look at these these are real shots guys huge a maker hits like Blaney's little Blaney's rock there he's seeing stars a little bit what a great mustache yeah just ridiculous yeah Ryan Blaney friend of the show this is this is the the shot that you have to see this is cinematic this is a one shot here Blaney Hammer order you hear the fireworks celebrating Tony Joey look on the one this race I like the one camera shot yeah it's like that scene in true detective yeah big of a Richard van and chair for college Mike and and the NASCAR fans ate this off there were hundreds yeah there were hundreds of fans waiting for a site of Carson Hosevar and this guy's becoming a superstar whether you like it or not but something happened last night I was flying back from Portland and I had no idea about the next evolution in this story and it's taken an even uglier turn Ryan Blaney's wife took to the common section in a NASCAR post and she goes not surprised by the 77 that's Carson Hosevar's number aggressive behavior with the criminal record he has that was everybody's thought because you could search up criminal records what does she mean Gianna Blaney wrote referring to Carson Hosevar's car number before adding the follow-up comment alleging the Spire Motorsports driver resolved the said criminal offense without it being in public view wait I forgot most of you don't know about it because he got it paid off oops allegedly and so since then everyone went on the internet and started digging and they found some deleted tweets and accusations of some tire slashing for Carson Hosevar so his name is now being dragged into domestic conversations because Ryan Blaney's wife went to the comment section after Ryan Blaney got his lights punched out by Carson Hosevar very dramatic Collarson you're new leader in the chase gear head for every lap keep it fun keep it where vow for the audio audience I don't think you can do what Blaney did what was the Michael Keaton movie that was one camera angle no bird man bird man not bad man you're so close bird man was one camera angle or you mentioned true detective the idea of using one camera you can't be Blaney in that spot have the camera behind you as you swagger saunter over for the fight and then the first thing that happens in the fight is you get hit in that incredible mustache I don't think Blaney fully expected to be throwing hands and Carson Hosevar saw the look in Blaney's eyes saw him charging him and Carson Hosevar didn't take the chance that he was going to get hit first and he clocked him clean now Blaney did get a little piece afterwards but that's a bad look for everybody involved this is something that NASCAR gets away with you don't really see that in other sports but I guess drivers need another way to blow some steam and NASCAR kind of thinks that all this Carson Hosevar stuff say for maybe what just happened with Blaney's wife is good for the sport down lebatar there's sunglasses in boxes today but in my bed in hospital ending our lives all the same Jeremy Tachi it's the final night down this is the down lebatar show so I've got to rush through some of this because I got to get to the top 10 and number 20 is Darian Menta was not heavily recruited number 19 is that was 20 22 maholms last night he hasn't done that statistically since 2022 when he was regularly the guy who was the best in the league it's a pretty dramatic shift in opinion about the chiefs in maholms from week one to week two because after last week and Kenneth Walker was great again last night but after week one was like all right they're gonna be Kenneth Walker's team this year they're gonna ease maholms back this entire season and now this week not only is maholms back to full strength was like oh Travis Kelsey might still be really good too the chiefs won the game the way you expect them to win the game with the help of the rest it was a little bit strange though right it felt a little strange to me to watch the chiefs as if they'd put a bookmark in 2022 where you're watching the end of that game and you know they're not going to lose it because this quarterback has now done it enough where you expect him to win it every time it's Brady-esque and I don't think you can say it of any other team in the sport like I don't think you could look at any of the teams in the sport where the game is close late and you're doing not Josh Allen not anybody where you're like don't leave him anytime you're if you give him four downs he's gonna beat you if you tie the game if you don't get a touchdown and you just get a field goal you're going to end up losing the game to the chiefs well so what you make of over time where you know it's first in the Coltett first down what was it at the inside the 20 was inside the red zone after I learned a new rule last night because I I thought that was a fumble and I thought the game was over and I did not think that they should have you know continued the game after that I thought the chiefs won the game with the fumble after the long Daniel Jones pass. So they had first down inside the 20 they ran the ball a couple of times. I think they lost yardage and they ultimately wind up kicking a field goal on fourth and eight. But you kick a field goal there. You're literally playing for the tie. I mean, there was only three minutes left in overtime. But it's fourth and eight though. So you're going to lose the game. You're I they tried to get them to jump off sides. They wanted to make it fourth and three. And if it had been fourth and three, I do believe they would have gone for it. But fourth and eight, I'm not yet so comfortable with all of the ridiculous things that they're doing with the math on fourth down that I've been encouraging for a long time where I'm going to make it one play for the game on fourth and eight because I don't want to give the ball back to my homes like it's not even about my offense. It's not about the game situation. It's not about anything other. It's not about leaving with a tie or playing for the tie. It's I can't give the ball back to my homes. And so I'm going to go for it on fourth and eight even though fourth and eight is not a favorable situation for any offense. But I would go back to first down like it seemed to me and I understand Jonathan Taylor who who is incredible. But if you're running the ball on first and second down, it kind of feels like you're trying to bleed the clock a little bit and you're playing for the field goal because you're in field goal range. My homes is now eight know in regular season overtime games. That's in his career. It's the longest such win streak by any quarterback since overtime was invented. I just I'm not even I'm not even saying you can't give the ball back to my homes because we know what my homes is going to do there. I'm saying you can't play for the tie there like you're so you're going to go for it on fourth and eight. I'm going to have a different. I'm going to call different place starting on first down. I'm saying on first down. Well, they didn't expect the running plays to not work. No, I think they're trying to bleed the clock and and kick the field goal to knowing that they're in field goal range. I mean, if Jonathan Taylor breaks one great. But I think their M.O. was trying to bleed the clock. So if they have to kick a field goal to tie, my homes doesn't have that much time. I don't agree. No, wait a minute because the running plays failed. You thought they were playing for the field goal. I thought they were playing for the field goal before even those two running plays. I thought they were playing for on first down. I don't know because man, you look at what happened with Alex Pierce to the number one guy. Josh down stepped in, but he's a smaller. They got the throw down the field with Pierce being out of the game. Like they got into that position very quickly where you can take the game away from my homes. My homes is on the sidelines watching. All you need to do is make a couple of plays against their defense and you take the game and the ball away from my homes. But my homes is still unbeaten in these situations. I was connecting a flight in Utah, flew back on the red ice. So I was a little disoriented and I saw I couldn't believe that the game was still going on. And I was like, there's no way that's Laquan Treadwell. That has to be another Treadwell. Laquan Treadwell, the 30 year old former wide receiver bust. He he has worked himself back into the league at 31 years old and he's playing every snap. It can't be. I just don't think they were aggressive enough. That call was super aggressive. No, once they got in the red zone, they have first sound. It's like four and a half minutes left. I don't think they were aggressive enough. But their number one thing is we're going to move you with the offensive line. We're going to get Jonathan Taylor in position, set up maybe a play action passage. It just didn't go that way, but I don't think they were being you know, setting back me like, I'm just going to kick the field. I would even consider like, I know, I know it's fourth and eight. I would even consider on fourth and eight having gone for it. Like you have you're kicking the field goal there. You have no chance of winning the game. You have no now, now best case scenario's tie. I'm not saying you're going to lose, which they did. No chance. But the reason I know that everything around the arithmetic in this sport has changed on fourth down. There are things happening all weekend on fourth down where everyone's a lot more aggressive than they've ever been. But if you're going for it on fourth and eight, one play for the game, right? Because if you fail, you've lost the game. If you're doing that, you're only doing that because my homes is on the other sidelines. So the chiefs become the only team in the sport that you would be even considering that against. And I'm not saying it's ridiculous because it would be super aggressive. I wonder if someone like Ben Johnson would do something like that. But there aren't many coaches who no matter how much change is here, there aren't many coaches who are doing what you're saying. Because fourth and eight is a bad statistical probability for every offense in the league. Josh Allen's my homes is fourth and eight is not the situation that you want to be playing in because you're starting the hand with improbabilities against you. The probabilities are against you by kicking the field goal, though. And I'm not saying that they're going to lose by kicking the field goal, which they did. But by kicking the field goal, you are choosing not to win. You're choosing not to win because they're not going to get the ball back after that. I'm not saying they're going to lose, we have to kick the field goal, but you are choosing not to win. And that I feel like is against the way it's supposed to play. It sounds like you're saying you would have simply gone for it on fourth and eight. Yeah, because I want to win. I'm trying to win. You kick the field goal there. The best scenario is tie. I don't want to tie. I want to win. A tie at the chiefs is a win. A tie. A tie. A tie on the road against the chiefs when they put up 30. You leave that stadium feeling like you've accomplished something. In fact, if they had tied, the chiefs would have felt like they had lost and the colds hat would have felt like they won. I mean, you ask Shane Stichen today does you wish you went for fourth and eight is the answer would be yes, right? Okay, but that's playing the result, not the probabilities. Like what I'm telling you about how all this has changed. The reason this has changed so much and it took these coaches forever because all of them have been doing it the way that you're saying they don't want to be the reason that you get criticized for losing. I remember the controversy it was because Bill Bellercheck decided to go for it against Pete Manning, the one quarterback in the league and it was like fourth and three at the 50 and everybody was crushing Bellercheck because they failed to get it with Tom Brady as the quarterback. You get to be right when they fail because the scoreboard, you know, you can't win arguments against a scoreboard that has you on the wrong side of it, but I'm still going to say to you you're you're in agreement with me, correct? No offense wants to be in fourth and eight. Every defense wants you to go for it on fourth and eight. And so what you're choosing there, you're choosing only because you're fearing my homes and we got there fast, right? Because that statistical game is not something that my homes has had since 2022 where it's 350 yards and and we know those receivers are a little bit weak, but Kenneth Walker changes that team. He really does. He changes what they're doing on offense in a number of different ways. Well, forces the defenses to have more people in the box and allows my homes to go deep and Kelsey also had a throwback game had a hundred yards in a touchdown. We thought Kelsey was done and dusted last year. If I just asked you in a vacuum, you have fourth and eight. Pick it up. You win. Don't pick it up. You lose or I will hand you a tie game right now, which scenario would you rather in a vacuum? I'll go for it. Yeah, I'd rather try and win. The career high that my homes had last night on play action is one of the way Kenneth Walker changes everything. It's 14 completions. He's got off the play action because you have to, you know, my homes has never had a thousand yard rusher. Like a thousand yards isn't even that impressive. It's 17 game seasons, like 60 yards a game. Like he's never had a thousand yard rusher. This is this is the first time. This is the longest. The chiefs have the longest streak of any team in the sport without a thousand yard rusher. And I don't change any of the commentary from last week. They're allowing his thirties to be easier than his twenties were because they got him the kind of help that will allow him to play some ball control. If that's what's needed to go play action. If that's what's needed, that's playing differently than what we used to see from Patrick Mahomes throw the ball down the field. 14 completions off of play action is how Daniel Jones started eight and one last year. Like when you've got, when you've got that running back, all of a sudden, you, you'll open up everything that's happening in the secondary. And the league is on notice now. You should be scared of the chiefs again, because if, if that quarterback is that, they can now beat you both ways. They can beat you if you want to, you want to ground the game to dust. We'll do it with Kenneth Walker. I just, I still can't believe that a Super Bowl MVP goes for less than 50 million dollars, that a Super Bowl MVP at running back that you can see how good he is can be belong to the chiefs and nobody else. And he's 25 years old. Look at beautiful Harry man right there with that beard.

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. Caleb Williams' non-contact injury during a game has sparked concern, as his absence could drastically shift the Bears' offense from 59 points to just three, marking a historic collapse and raising questions about the team’s playoff hopes.
  2. The Falcons’ quarterback situation is in disarray with Cooper Rush out and Jack Strang potentially stepping in, despite his poor performance and growing speculation that he may no longer want to play football due to injury and career disillusionment.
  3. The Chiefs’ offensive evolution under Patrick Mahomes, fueled by Kenneth Walker’s emergence and play-action success, has created a new threat, with the team now capable of winning both through the run and the pass, raising concerns about how defenses should adapt.

Summary:

The Dunlabata Show highlights several critical NFL developments. Caleb Williams’ injury is a major storyline, with the Bears’ offense collapsing from 59 to three points, signaling a dramatic shift in expectations and team potential. The Falcons’ quarterback dilemma features Jack Strang replacing Cooper Rush, amid growing speculation that Strang may be disinterested in continuing his career due to injury and performance issues, despite guaranteed pay.

The Chiefs are emerging as a potent force, with Kenneth Walker’s breakout play-action performances and 14 completions challenging defenses and altering the league’s offensive landscape. The show also touches on defensive excellence, noting Devon Lloyd’s dominant performance against multiple opponents, while questioning the ethics of optical illusions used to confuse kickers, leading the NFL to enforce new rules. Additionally, the discussion extends to broader issues in the sport, such as the overuse of long field goals, the aggressive tactics in fourth-down decisions, and the growing tension in NASCAR involving Carson Hosevar and Ryan Blaney.

The analysis concludes with a critical observation: Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker’s synergy has created a team that can win in any scenario, redefining how defenses must prepare. The show also underscores the disparity in Super Bowl MVP payouts, noting that high-impact performers like Walker earn far below what their performance justifies. Overall, the segment blends in-depth game analysis with thematic commentary on player motivation, team dynamics, and the evolving culture of sports.

FAQs

Caleb Williams' non-contact injury is significant because it disrupted the Bears' offense, which was expected to be one of the best in the league. His injury, marked by a loud scream and being carried off, raised fears about the team's season and the loss of a top-tier quarterback.

The Panthers allowed 59 points to the Bears in Week 1, then scored just three points against them in the next week, showing a drastic defensive shift that has sparked debate about the Falcons' quarterback situation.

There is speculation that Cooper Rush may not want to play football anymore, especially after being injured, but he still receives guaranteed pay for the season, and retirement hasn't been officially confirmed.

Jack Strawn is expected to start for the Falcons after Cooper Rush exited, but his performance has raised concerns about the team's offensive instability, especially given their poor overall situation and lack of depth.

Despite having a terrible salary cap situation and being widely seen as a weak team, the Saints have shown unexpected offensive improvements, including strong performances from young players like Travis Etchen and Kellen Moore.

The NFL has banned optical illusions on scoreboards to confuse kickers after a scandal revealed they were used to trick opposing kickers, leading to increased scrutiny and a shift toward greater field goal accuracy.

Chat with AI

Loading...

Pro features

Go deeper with this episode

Unlock creator-grade tools that turn any transcript into show notes and subtitle files.