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show and thanks so much for listening. Welcome

0:21

to Sports Grid Football Full Circle,

0:23

coming at you. Mike blew It and George Kurtz getting

0:25

ready for another show here talking

0:27

to NFL this hour, George and obviously

0:30

we gotta keep people updated on

0:32

the latest in what's

0:34

going on in the sports world. Got a little

0:36

bit of juice back as a sports

0:38

fan personally this week. I got to watch a

0:40

little European soccer my

0:43

team Chelsea on the

0:45

board against Manchester City. But really

0:48

that's not relevant to this particular

0:50

show, but I will say that it was fun

0:53

to sort of be rooting as a fan

0:55

again. As much as I've dabbled

0:57

in Korean baseball and charity

1:00

golf tournaments and real golf tournaments,

1:02

this is the first kind of real fan

1:06

experience that I had in these

1:08

many months, so it felt good to be back.

1:11

Well, I'm happy for you. I have not had the same

1:13

thing as I don't carey in

1:15

baseball. No, soccer is a deafit,

1:18

no I do. Someone brought us up

1:20

to me the other day. I guess me on Twitter, if I will

1:22

if I'll watch basketball, if basketball, if baseball

1:24

comes back, abay, hockey doesn't for some reason in baseball

1:26

it doesn't. I probably would watch

1:28

a little basketball just to get back in the group. But I haven't really

1:31

watched any sports whatsoever. And

1:33

uh, I don't know if that's going to change until

1:35

one of the sports that I enjoy watching comes back.

1:38

I think I will still enjoy the time my family.

1:40

Catch you up on some movies. Yeah,

1:43

I've been loaded up on documentaries when I'm

1:45

not watching sports. I've I've watched

1:47

a surprisingly little amount of TV. I'm

1:49

doing a lot of reading, whether

1:52

it's online or elsewhere. I've

1:54

been doing more reading than I have been

1:57

viewing. I probably should have caught up on some

1:59

shows it I haven't really. In any event,

2:01

let's get to the news that happened this

2:03

week in the NFL, and George that

2:07

we're gonna take this first segment in parts,

2:09

because these all sort of led to one another,

2:12

as you would suspect, as

2:14

we're trying to get these leagues back

2:17

to the starting line. And the Hall of Fame

2:19

game was announced to be canceled. The

2:21

Steelers and Cowboys our two teams,

2:23

which we will talk about tonight later

2:25

in this hour or today

2:28

later in this hour. Um, we're

2:31

scheduled to have the first preseason game

2:33

part of Hall of Fame weekend. Uh,

2:35

induction of Troy Polo Malo and Jimmy Johnson

2:37

and Bill Kawer were a nice sort

2:40

of weekend to put that all

2:42

together. But all of that's been postponed.

2:44

There's gonna be no Hall of Fame induction

2:46

ceremony in person. I don't

2:49

know. I actually haven't read whether or not

2:51

they're going to induct them and save the ceremony

2:54

for another time as part of the class.

2:57

But the Hall of Fame game is canceled. Yeah,

2:59

they all go into a welcome next year, Uh,

3:01

the same same, I imagine the I

3:03

think they said the same. Two teams have already agreed to

3:05

play next year, so they'll just do it again

3:08

a year from now and have ever replay. I don't think

3:10

this is the last preseason game

3:12

that's going to be canceled. Uh.

3:15

My guests is they're only gonna play two at most. You

3:17

know, I don't think they're gonna play week one of the preseason or a week

3:19

two. I don't think it makes much sense. They may not

3:21

play any preseason games. That wouldn't shock me either,

3:23

I mean either right now. If I'd have bet

3:26

on it, I would say that's the deal, because

3:28

why would you want Why would you want to expose that risk once

3:30

again? You got to travel and you get the player is hitting

3:32

each other, you know, so it wouldn't

3:35

make any sense. And let's face it, most coaches don't

3:37

like these games anyway that we know. The players hate them,

3:39

at least the players who are guaranteed to make the team hate

3:42

them. Players on the bubble, and it's a little

3:44

unfair. You don't get the seeds, uh uh.

3:47

You don't get to play in a game that the coach to see

3:49

how you can play in the real life circumstances.

3:51

But the way this season, the way this year

3:54

is going right now, it is what it is. But like

3:56

I said, Mike, uh, I think it's just the first

3:58

in a wave of cancelations as far as pre season

4:00

is concerned, right, So it's ESPN

4:02

insider Adam Schefter told us about the Hall of Fame

4:04

game cancelation, and here you see on the screen

4:06

ian wrap report of the NFL Network and

4:09

NFL dot Com. He says, while the

4:11

NFL calendar remains in flux, multiple

4:13

clubs are proceeding as if players won't

4:16

report to camp early, which means

4:18

veterans would arrive July and a

4:20

ramp up period would occur there after, likely

4:22

in concert with a shortened preseason, as

4:25

Tom Pellicero has reported. So we

4:27

just touched on that a little bit,

4:30

But again, this is more about the NFL.

4:32

They've made some modifications, but

4:35

they're just keeping things in line.

4:37

They're saying, we're scheduled, we're going

4:39

to have some fans in

4:41

the stands, and we're gonna be started on time.

4:44

That's the league line. They really

4:46

haven't had their feet put to

4:48

the fire on these decisions yet, So

4:51

I'm I don't think they're pie

4:53

in the sky. I think they're saying it because

4:55

they don't have to declare otherwise.

4:59

Um. I think they are going

5:01

to push it to the limit to start

5:03

on time and they get the season completed. But

5:06

I don't think they're paying the sky. I think they're just saying it

5:08

because they don't have to declare otherwise

5:10

yet. All right, it's late June. They've

5:12

got time. They've got two and a half

5:14

months night September ten to have to figure this out.

5:17

And we all know the NFL believes they can.

5:19

Really they believe. They're like a you know, an

5:21

eighteen wheeler going through

5:24

flowers. I'm gonna run through everything

5:27

and we're gonna play. We're gonna do anything on time. I think

5:29

it's gonna be interrupted at some point. I truly do.

5:32

I said I think the preseason games is just the first

5:34

part of it. I think they're gonna do everything they

5:36

can to play that Thursday night game. You

5:38

know they're gonna try their best to get it in. But after that,

5:41

it's Pat Mahomes. You just

5:43

don't do it. You just the virus

5:45

is going to turn what they what, what what they can and can't

5:47

do. Plus mostally, just so the

5:50

Major League Baseball the owners, right, they just figured

5:52

out, we'll sort of figure out their problem. They're gonna start

5:54

the season, the NFL p A and the

5:56

NFL owners, they're gonna have their little talk

5:59

about it too, because I imagine

6:01

once again the NFL owner is gonna be like, hey, no

6:04

fans in the stands, We're not gonna

6:06

make as much money. We gotta talk about

6:08

reduction salary. They're gonna want to talk

6:10

about it. And uh, you know, right

6:13

now, the the NFL, the union doesn't

6:15

have the players don't have that agreement,

6:17

says guaranteed Parada. They don't have

6:19

that, you know. Uh, And I don't think it's good.

6:21

That's not gonna happen anyway. The owners they always gonna want

6:23

a reduction. It should be very interesting

6:25

to see what happens here as far as what the reduction

6:28

is, especially when you consider, unlike in baseball,

6:30

fan attendance isn't the most important

6:32

thing in football. That's that's the TV contracts.

6:35

You have, the national contracts. You know, basically

6:37

eighty one home games. It's a lot of fans that are missing there. In

6:40

football, you only have eight home games, not

6:42

including the two preseason games, which really

6:44

do count here because they charge for price

6:46

for those as well. They yeah, it's ten

6:49

home dates. Even though that those preseason

6:52

stands sometimes like half empty and

6:55

there's a lot of tickets given out for free. To youth groups

6:57

and things of that nature. There's still people

6:59

there. They're still buying so doesn't beers and paying

7:01

for parking. So you can say

7:03

all you want, who cares about those games? It's true,

7:06

but there's a gate attached

7:08

to it for the teams. They know the amount

7:10

of money they normally make from those games, and it isn't

7:13

in their mind insignificant. So

7:16

so those are the first two parts of the story, and the

7:18

third one, which I think rounds up the

7:20

week's news, is that the

7:22

NFL and NFL Players Association

7:24

are working towards an agreement it appears

7:27

in the background that will allow twenty

7:30

season to be played, but with

7:32

an important caveat to players

7:35

who want to opt out. Whether player or

7:37

coach is concerned about his or her own

7:39

health or the health of a family member,

7:42

they there is a potential agreement

7:44

in place for that player or

7:46

a coach to do so without consequence,

7:50

meaning not getting released, not getting your contract

7:52

canceled. Now, payment is

7:55

a different sort right. You're not going to get

7:57

paid for services not delivered if you're the player.

8:00

According to the NFL c b A, however,

8:02

they're not going to be released without without

8:06

any sort of consequence, right, they'll be locked

8:08

in for roster bonuses conceivably

8:11

or at least does not have their contract terminated

8:13

for this reason. You

8:15

want to listen. I think more sports are doing that. We even seen

8:17

baseball did that, right, you don't want to play,

8:19

that's fine, but you're not gonna get paid no service

8:21

time, you know that sort of thing. Uh,

8:24

I think baseball. What if you're living with a

8:26

high risk person, you can also possibly

8:29

opt out, you know, that's still sort of living

8:31

in negotiated there. If you have a pregnant wife, that's

8:33

a little weird. At first, it looked like you're gonna be a

8:36

pregnant wife and have gotten you or pregnant

8:38

spouse. I should they should have gotten you out also

8:40

for the season if you wanted to. Now it's three days

8:42

or seven days, depending if you're on maternity,

8:44

a paternity leave, or family emergency

8:47

leave. I do wonder if the

8:49

the NFL players gonna want more than that, you

8:51

know, for that to how do you want

8:53

to endanger your family? You

8:56

know, I wonder how that's going to work out. But for me, I also

8:58

wonder this. You're in year two

9:00

of a five year contract now

9:03

all right, you're gonna opt out. You're

9:06

not gonna get paid. You know you're

9:08

not gonna get You're not gonnat your service time. All

9:10

right? Does that mean next year it starts to year three

9:13

or just start year two again? It's a

9:15

great question, right,

9:18

who designed is that? If you're opting out, that means the owner

9:20

designs it. Okay, you're opting out of your contract.

9:23

I'll forget it. We'll go to year we'll go to year three.

9:25

I want to get ready anyway, or is it gonna be like no,

9:27

no, you're starting near two next year. You're too

9:29

good a player. I don't want to lose you. I

9:31

pay for you to play for me, but five years. I expect you

9:33

to play with five years, no consequence. Not to

9:35

play this year, but next year you're still in year two.

9:38

I want my list four years of my contract.

9:40

Yeah, yeah, it's I think all of

9:42

this stuff has to be worked out. I think

9:45

you have to be sensitive to that. I think we're

9:47

seeing it in the NBA, in particular, a

9:49

player like Avery Bradley of the Lakers

9:52

has a son that suffers suffers

9:54

from respiratory illnesses. Um

9:57

so his exposure

10:00

to the bubble and other players and

10:02

potentially passing that along

10:04

to his son is too great of a risk.

10:06

And look, he plays for the Lakers. He's

10:08

not Lebron James, but he plays for the Lakers.

10:11

They have everything to play for as

10:13

a team. And he's decided personally,

10:15

and I obviously respect it greatly

10:18

that it isn't worth it to him to put

10:20

his son at risk. There's been other

10:22

reasons that other players have opted out, custody

10:24

issues regarding one

10:27

player and other players that are rehabbing

10:29

from an injury and have just decided, you know what,

10:31

I'm going to shut it down to Marcus Cousins,

10:34

notably, formerly of the Lakers.

10:36

He was released after tearing his a c L in

10:39

the summer UH last

10:41

fall. He was

10:43

released in February and then has decided not

10:46

to come back for this truncated

10:48

season, which I think makes sense. But you

10:50

know, the NBA, to the point you made

10:53

earlier, George, and you've made this almost every

10:55

week, the NBA and the other leagues

10:57

that have started first p g A notably, are

11:00

flushing out some of the issues for the NFL

11:03

and other leagues so that they can figure it out.

11:05

They don't have to figure it out on the fly like some of the

11:07

other ones did. Yeah,

11:10

the NBA, I mean NBA and A show a little

11:12

different scenarios because those players have already made ninety

11:15

of their money this year, you know, so

11:18

they're in a different situation. They're just playing for a championship,

11:20

really, And if you're on one of these teams,

11:23

and the Lakers are not one of those teams, by the way, so Bradley

11:25

is in a different circumstance there. But if you're on one of these teams.

11:28

It came up in hockey team carry Price, who

11:30

was an ACE goaltender of the Montreal Canadians. He's

11:33

like, I don't know if I want to play, you know,

11:35

is it really worth that? And the

11:37

montre Canadians are a bad team, they're

11:39

only end because the NHL extended the playoffs.

11:41

He made me thinking, is it really I'm not gonna

11:43

make any money or very little money here. Is

11:45

it worth me risking my health or my

11:47

family's health when I go home when

11:50

I have something to gain here? I'm not We're not gonna win the Cup

11:52

even if we went a round or two, which is possible. And

11:54

the NHL hot goaltender the NHL is the equivalent

11:56

of an a starting pitcher in baseball

11:58

and a starting a great starting quarterback in

12:01

hall and football. If you have one, you got a shot,

12:03

you know. But is he he's thinking it doesn't really

12:05

matter Here in the NFL, that's not the case. You're

12:08

getting your full salary from week one. That's why

12:10

we're not gonna hear quite the same arguments from

12:12

UH from NFL players that we will from

12:14

NHL and NBA players and Babe. In baseball,

12:17

you might hear somenies because they're only gonna get paid about thirty

12:19

seven percent of what they're making. So even

12:21

they might figure, don't think gonna be a free agent next

12:23

year, or they're worry about having a bed

12:26

two months in baseball, which could affect it would

12:28

be a free agent in baseball. Well, the funky

12:31

part about baseball is free agency is going to be a

12:33

disaster, yes for everybody.

12:36

But if I was a free agent, I don't

12:38

wouldn't want to play because

12:41

even though that's going to be a mess, I wouldn't want

12:43

to get hurt. It depends what kind of free agent am

12:45

I A top free agent, I've already made my money, or

12:47

I know I'm gonna I know I'm gonna make money next year no

12:49

matter what. Then I don't want to play. If I'm like a

12:51

so so guy, I might need to play this and you're

12:53

on approven, you're an approven situation.

12:56

Try to get your picture getting eight

12:58

good starts or something like that. I

13:00

get it. It's complicated when we talk

13:02

about it from a macro standpoint. We'll come back

13:05

talk more NFL issues after

13:07

this. On the Grid sports

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13:36

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almost forgret it there. George's at George

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Twitter, so please feel free to follow us there. So

13:53

uh talk about your team as since

13:55

they were one of the team is gonna participate in the

13:57

Hall of Fame game, George. But there's

14:00

some news obviously, some news aboute

14:02

Zeke Elliott and other players

14:04

having contracted COVID. I read a little bit of

14:07

something about uh. He only saw

14:09

symptoms for about a day or two, so he's

14:11

still in recovery mode. He didn't feel

14:13

particularly sick, but a little symptomatic

14:15

there for a couple of days. But really,

14:18

the big news this week and the Cowboys that Dak

14:20

Prescott officially signed his

14:22

franchise tag. According to David Hellman

14:25

at Hellman d C on Twitter, he and the

14:27

Cowboys still have until July fifteen to

14:29

work out the long term deal, but he's officially

14:31

under contract for the season.

14:34

So the big news

14:36

obviously related to that is that Dak's

14:38

gonna get paid over thirty million bucks. But

14:40

for the Cowboys side, he's in camp

14:43

on time. Assume campus starting on time.

14:45

He's in camp on time. That's that's really

14:47

the big news piece for this. Yeah,

14:50

I mean, I do wonder why Dad

14:52

would sign it early. Look,

14:55

it doesn't make much sense. Why would you so I guess he wants

14:57

to learn the offense, is my uh my guest. Here's

14:59

that's that's time. He doesn't. He was like he's

15:01

lost leverage. Now he really hasn't. Really,

15:04

it's the same negotiation, right saying, oh,

15:06

you're in, you're signed now now we don't have to negotiate.

15:08

Yes, you do, because the Cowboys can't. They

15:11

just cannot. I mean, you

15:13

don't want he's thirty one point four million this year.

15:15

You don't want to go in the next year at thirty seven million with

15:17

the cap best case scenario. Now

15:19

what cap is stagnant, stays at that's

15:22

your best case scenario, all right, and that

15:24

would seem unlikely. You

15:26

know that's gonna stay there. You're talking you

15:29

go into next year, what Dak

15:32

would make thirty seven Mari he's making twenty

15:34

that's two guys making fifty seven million of one

15:36

eight. Uh, that's not good. That's

15:39

not good. At it's called the thirty cent of a cap there

15:41

between two players. They're gonna have to they're gonna have

15:43

to get this done. Everything we hear is the same thing. Mike

15:46

Dax can't want four years, the

15:49

Cowboys want five years. It's not the

15:51

money, he would think it. It's not the money. The Cowboys a

15:53

little on the pay up it's the fact that he Dax

15:55

can't want him to behave your phree agent earlier. They

15:58

want to hit that lotto again. Just

16:00

get a hired percentage of guaranteed

16:02

money, just like a coin. Right now, I

16:05

does, you don't care anymore? Flip a coin, you

16:07

know? Yeah, you see you leave from

16:09

Jerry Jorge At this point, I'm like, you know what, flip a coin.

16:13

And every time he's Jerry

16:16

that Jerry maybe this master negotiator and

16:18

he's the richest owner in the NFL or second

16:20

now because of Dave Tepper. But uh,

16:26

I don't know. I don't know what I mean. He didn't he didn't

16:28

pay Byron Jones. He let him leave, but he couldn't

16:30

pay him. Ye has

16:33

had no choice. Plus he's overpaid. He's not

16:35

he's not Dion stand. He's not a lockdown corner

16:37

and he causes no turnovers, a good player, and

16:40

I would have liked to have kept him, but I wouldn't have paid him sixteen

16:42

million of dollars either. But you know they

16:44

caved on Ezekiel Elliott last year.

16:47

You caved, didn't paid him

16:49

all. I don't know if he caves on My mind

16:51

was apparently the Redskins did off the more money, So

16:54

maybe you didn't cave there. He had just had no choice

16:56

there. But he's not Mari. I don't

16:58

care about the money. It's a good call. I'd

17:02

rather be I'd rather be in Dallas. I think I'd rather

17:04

play with Dallas and Dak Prescott as well than

17:06

Haskins or whatever the mess is gonna be there in Washington.

17:09

I mean, he's always caved there. Star

17:11

players get paid, And to Marcus, Lawrence got

17:13

paid. You go back to the night and Smith

17:15

held out the two games. Great, both

17:18

games got paid. Martin like all

17:20

these guys have gotten paid. He doesn't really let

17:22

them walk, you know. I I root for a team

17:24

that let's free agents walk

17:26

a lot. Historically,

17:28

the Steelers really do let guys walk. You

17:31

know, they've They're at a point now

17:33

where they're gonna pay a bunch of guys. But overall,

17:36

the Steelers let guys walk more often

17:38

than they keep them, as opposed to Dallas,

17:40

Who's that really has kept their guys around.

17:42

So we'll get into it a little bit more. Again,

17:45

they have until July. If

17:47

you had a guest right now, yes or no, they get the deal done.

17:50

Logic tells me, yes, there's only

17:52

Dak Prescott's camp wants to go with the next year. I either

17:54

thinking what could happen if you have no fans this year

17:57

and the virus is still around next year. That could

17:59

be a nightmare. That's why, That's why I would feel

18:01

pressured to sign the deal now. But

18:03

I think Jerry, just like is in

18:05

no rush to get it signed because

18:08

he knows he'll probably

18:10

know as well as anybody associated

18:12

with the entire league what the capit

18:14

is going to look like. Um

18:17

as we get closer, you know, I'm sure

18:19

he's modeling and figuring out what

18:21

the cap is. They can't afford

18:23

to have an eighty million dollar reduction in cap

18:26

it would blow teams up pauselessly.

18:30

They have to just smooth it out and say,

18:32

look, we're gonna eat it

18:38

and you won't see an increase in the salary

18:40

cap for the next three years because we're gonna

18:42

pay you in a court. You know, there's ways to

18:44

obviously move the money around or

18:46

will only reduce it by ten percent

18:49

and then it won't increase for

18:52

the next two years until we get

18:54

whole again. Right, it's money is

18:56

lost. They're not going to get that money back.

18:58

But there'll be so much money come in from the new TV

19:01

deals that who's going to complain? Right?

19:03

I mean, I agree with you. People almost complained, but

19:05

you know what I mean, you can't let it go down. You mentioned

19:07

it probably would be bound, but sixty

19:10

seventy million if they did it, I

19:12

guess the way they're supposed to do it. But they're

19:14

after I let that happen. I mean, the NFLP

19:16

wouldn't want that to happen. Nobody would we

19:18

get paid. You have so many guys that you have

19:20

so many free ases that guys been getting cut left and right.

19:23

Anybody could cut. You would just cut now you'd

19:25

have to, so they won't let that happen. No, So

19:28

I didn't think you keep it flat or cap

19:31

at ten percent reduction just about

19:34

that that's twenty million. I

19:36

know, I know, I think they should. I think you should keep it

19:38

flat. They'll they'll work something

19:40

that when they have always negotiations. Just

19:43

when you thought that the negotiates rot between the NFL

19:45

and the nflp A not so much.

19:47

They could negotiate before this season. Probably after

19:49

this season, they got

19:51

that thing done. I'm just glad they got that done.

19:53

Man, that was the last shot. If the player

19:55

said no, there was not going to be a new cv A

19:57

offering. It's a good thing for football

20:00

in general that that is done. So let's

20:02

talk about their big three questions on the year. I'll

20:05

set up the odds first. We've reviewed

20:07

this a couple of times, but right

20:09

now, Uh, their odds. Dallas's

20:11

odds to win the NFC East are the

20:13

shortest at minus one oh five

20:16

to win the NFC Championship, plus eight

20:18

fifty to win the Super Bowl, plus seventeen

20:21

hundred, and the total

20:23

is nine and a half wins. And that's

20:26

heavy juice to the over At minus one

20:28

fifty to make the playoffs, minus two

20:30

sixty is a yes,

20:32

and no is plus two oh five. So

20:36

obviously the board, the odds board, is

20:38

telling you their favorite to win their division.

20:40

They're one of the favorites in the NFC, and

20:42

they are a top six or so team

20:45

to win the Super Bowl. Uh. In fact, let

20:47

me see if I can find that uh

20:49

one to three four. There you're exactly

20:51

six in front, behind the Chiefs, Ravens,

20:53

Niners, Saints, and Bucks. But they're

20:56

big three questions. We have six

20:58

minutes to talk about. To

21:01

me, I'll bring up the first one in my

21:03

mind is the Mike

21:06

McCarthy transition. There's no

21:08

offseason here that was

21:10

legitimate for him. I don't know how well he

21:12

adapted to ZOOM. I don't know well anybody

21:15

adapted to zoom. Some coaches seem to

21:17

like it. I guarantee you thirty one and thirty

21:19

two head coaches legitimately hated

21:21

it. But one guy probably found his way

21:24

Kyle Shannon probably found his way around. It was

21:26

like, I can do this. Uh. But

21:28

that, to me is the big question,

21:30

and it's an abstract one. Right.

21:33

We say this all the time. Everybody gets

21:35

so fired up over coaches and all that stuff.

21:38

Who's this is our perfect fit? We shouldn't have gone

21:41

with McCarthy, We should have gone with Lincoln Riley.

21:43

You don't know. I don't know too many variables.

21:46

So I just let it. I let it play out.

21:48

I've stopped arguing about what I

21:51

I get. I question coaches

21:53

fits, but I stopped a

21:56

few years ago. I stopped trying

21:58

to determine who I thought was

22:00

going to be the best fit. You know what I mean? I don't

22:02

really know, well, you you

22:04

know you and I have talked many times. I believe

22:06

any new coach or any team that's had big

22:09

changes, is that a disadvantage. This all

22:11

season once again stayed

22:13

over and over again. No mini camps, training

22:15

camp from the looks of it, is going to start on time,

22:18

right late July. Edge looks like that's

22:20

going to go. But Dallas and Pittsburgh for that matter,

22:22

aren't going to get that extra week bonus day. We're gonna get

22:24

right because the whole family game, they were gonna open up a week earlier.

22:27

Now that's that's a way now, So Dallas loses that advantage.

22:29

They weren't allowed to open camps earlier than they

22:32

because of changing head coaches. So that was

22:34

over two as far as advantages with a new head coach,

22:37

like many other teams that had new head coaches will be

22:39

So yeah, I think every team or any team

22:41

that's had these kind of changes, a new head coach.

22:44

That's why I worry about Tampa a little bit, new quarterback,

22:46

you know, anything like that, you had disadvantage

22:48

to start the season. Here the good news for the Cowboys,

22:52

it's really only the Eagles. You're worried about. Washington

22:55

Giants, not so much bad teams.

22:57

They're not really looking to compete this year. I mean,

23:00

should be able to go for fur and tune your division just by showing

23:02

up right maybe five and one. So

23:04

I agree that it's a huge question,

23:07

and I don't think anybody knows the answer. I don't know if

23:10

when the cot was hard, but Carthy, I thought he was the

23:12

safe choice. Mike not really. I'm not saying he's

23:14

the right choice because he was the safe choice. A guy

23:16

who can handle at the media in Dallas right, He's

23:18

hand the Green Bay, you can handle the Cowboys, You're a well

23:21

known name. Is he the right guy for the job?

23:23

I don't know. Can he stand up to Jerry Jones? Have

23:26

my doubts, you know. I don't know

23:28

Jones would have hired somebody who would stand up to him.

23:30

And Jerry Jones is still running the team and

23:32

do what he's gonna do. In the background, we know what Jason Garrett,

23:35

Jerry had the strings. I don't think it's gonna be

23:37

that band with McCarthy. They were cart They will stand up

23:39

to him a little bit, but I don't have to stand up to him enough. I'm

23:41

still to believe that Cowboys won't really be a great

23:44

team until Jones is gone.

23:47

Um, I'm with

23:49

you on that. On that assessment, I

23:51

do think UM having the

23:53

owner and be the GM, it's difficult,

23:56

but it is also funny. You would think that the

23:58

owner GM negotiating. No, I'm

24:00

just saying the owner of GM negotiation,

24:02

you would think that it would be more ruthless.

24:04

But we just got finished talking about how did

24:07

you guys just sort of get paid? You know

24:09

they do. I mean Steven Jones I think

24:11

has obviously gotten better at from running

24:13

a personnel department. This team does

24:16

have a lot of good players on it that they

24:18

drafted, acquired right, mostly

24:20

drafted. But um,

24:23

so, what's another big question? Dak's got

24:25

the long term deal potentially

24:27

on the horizon. That's a big question

24:30

that's going to hang over the franchise. Will

24:32

Dak be disgruntled if he doesn't get it?

24:34

I don't think so because I think

24:36

he knows if he plays well again

24:39

this year, they they're not gonna let him walk.

24:41

So, Um, you don't want to hang over

24:43

your head, But I don't think it's a detrimental question.

24:45

With Dak now getting paid thirty million bucks. I'm

24:48

not worried about DAC as far as that's concerned.

24:50

He'll be fine when he gets his thirty one point

24:52

four millionaire. If he gets his long term content or he

24:54

doesn't get his long term he'll be fine. What I

24:56

think the second question, if you don't want to include his negotiations,

25:00

still about Dak Dak Prescott

25:02

last year against playoff teams one

25:05

in seven, one in seven,

25:07

the QBR was much worse than against

25:09

other teams. Touchdown, the interception ratio,

25:12

much worse than against the non playoff

25:14

teams. Everything was bad his

25:16

name. I mean, they would trash

25:19

and he had chances to win. I believe seven of those

25:21

eight games in the fourth quarter did

25:23

not come through. So I think that's a huge

25:25

question. It can Da be

25:28

a big time player? You know right

25:30

now he's anything, but he can beat the terrible

25:32

teams, They'll he'll destroy some of the Cowboys

25:34

that it's not all on him. The Cowboys destroyed

25:37

terrible teams. Can they stand

25:39

up and beat playoff teams? And last

25:41

year that's they answered not so much.

25:43

And I think that's why, as far as the publics

25:46

decerned, why he shouldn't get paid because he doesn't come

25:48

He hasn't seemed to have come through in

25:50

big time moments. Yeah, my

25:53

last question, we only got about a thirty

25:55

seconds or so, so we'll try to answer quick.

25:57

Do you think, George, that the defense can

25:59

hold up to Marcus Lawrence is there? They

26:01

acquired jere McCoy, they got

26:03

late and Vanderus, Jalen Smith, Shawn Lee

26:06

is back for his eleventh season. Um,

26:09

they had some pieces in the secondary, but do you think

26:12

this defense holds up over the long haul of the season.

26:14

Do you guys need to stay healthy. They don't have a lot of depth

26:16

anywhere. And also the cornerbacks

26:18

they drafted a couple. They need to play big, top

26:21

heavy team. We've talked about it a lot. We'll come back

26:23

talk about Pittsburgh Steelers chances

26:26

for after this. On the Grid sports

26:34

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26:55

M you're

27:00

watching sports crede.

27:06

Hey, we're back on the grid talking about

27:08

the Pittsburgh Steelers during this segment, But I wanted to

27:10

wrap up something that we just talked about concerning

27:13

the Dallas Cowboys. Talked a little

27:15

bit of how their defense towards the end there,

27:17

how their defense might not hold up UM

27:20

over the course of the year because they

27:22

look there, they have a bunch of high priced players.

27:24

Uh, they're not dissimilar

27:27

to the Rams and the fact that they became very top

27:29

heavy. I think Dallas is better

27:32

top to bottom now UM

27:34

and I think they have better depth than

27:36

say the Rams might. But

27:38

my real question to you that I was gonna wrap

27:41

up with we just ran a little light on time, was

27:44

I personally, I feel

27:46

like Dallas missed

27:48

their window to win it.

27:51

But this would be the last year because

27:54

we had Travis Frederick retire. Travis

27:56

Frederick retire, There's some pieces

27:59

that were there, or that the offensive line was

28:01

stronger, the running game was so dominant,

28:03

even though it was throwback, it was so

28:05

dominant. I felt like they had a

28:08

chance to win. Now, whether or not

28:10

they win that playoff game against Green Bay, was

28:12

that the year that they were going to do it? I

28:14

don't know, but this all somewhat

28:16

falls back on Jason Garrett, his inability

28:18

to get the most out of the team or whatever

28:20

it was the organization didn't win.

28:23

I feel like that window is closed on them,

28:25

But I guess I would have to say not completely. If

28:28

I'm giving them a shot, that this could be the

28:30

year if it all came together well.

28:32

As you said at the end of our last

28:34

talk, Dallas is a top heavy team.

28:36

If those players stay healthy, well, they're

28:38

gonna be damn good. A right, they're gonna be damn good.

28:40

If they don't stay healthy, they're in trouble. And

28:42

that's the issue there. Listen, you look at the Cowboys

28:44

defensive line here. They have depth

28:47

there, Lawrence McCoy, poise and old

28:49

names we know here, Tyrone Crawford, Alvin

28:51

Smith. Returning from his sabbatical.

28:54

I expect Randy Gregory to be uh, you

28:56

know, I think he'll be uh take no

28:58

suspension, Evengus. That's the one place where you

29:00

really do want some depth, right, rotational

29:02

defensive lineman. I think the Giants,

29:05

the giants of the previous decade,

29:07

two decades ago. Now it's crazy to

29:09

say they set the the

29:12

blueprint for that. You know what we're

29:14

gonna We're gonna have seven eight linemen

29:16

here rotating in and out, getting

29:20

we're gonna get their best to forty snaps. They

29:23

drifted Bradley and a, they drifted Neville Galliwo,

29:25

and they saok at Tristan Hill, the second second round

29:27

pick last season. Granted he was complete bust. So

29:30

theoretically the line's fine. Linebackers

29:32

where you get a little scared shun Lee

29:35

Landon vander Esch, who took a very big

29:37

step back last year. You know, Shoan Lee,

29:39

I don't think you could play sixty games. He could play sixty

29:41

kimes when he was a young man more or less

29:43

now and then after that, all right, Joe Thomas

29:46

is a nice backup, and you get a little shaky after

29:48

that, and the secondary is really

29:50

complete. I don't know. You're

29:52

hoping the rookies can play, you

29:54

know, Reggie Robinson, hoping he could step up

29:56

and you know, be a player right away. Uh, Trevon

29:59

digs of really fell in their lap. You know the

30:01

draft is good, but we don't know. We love the picks. First

30:04

year corners, man, I mean you just

30:07

get nothing out of those guys. Most years, you

30:09

just can't receiving them. They

30:12

just take their lumps and they can't. You know,

30:14

the absolute elite guys are

30:16

out there for most of the snaps, and

30:18

the guys that are even if they're

30:21

high draft picks, they play a lot of snaps and

30:23

they get beat up. You know, they get picked on a

30:26

ton. And the good, the

30:28

really good ones will have a bunch of turnovers and they'll

30:30

make a name for themselves. But a lot of those guys,

30:33

they get beat up in those first at first

30:35

line. Better get to the quarterback quick. I agree with

30:37

you, it's really what it comes down to them. He's sitting back at with four

30:40

plus seconds. Agree. A lot of shootouts

30:42

in Dallas. I'd be that way anyway,

30:44

all right. So Ben Roethlisberger moving over to

30:46

the Steelers, the other team that's supposed

30:48

to play in the Hall of Fame game. But Ben Roethlisberger in

30:50

the news. He talked recently in a Christian

30:54

Fellowship leadership

30:57

talk about his past

30:59

addictions to football, how he's working

31:01

to conquer those, so sort of a

31:04

positive admission of his troubled

31:06

past and an admission that he's trying to get better

31:09

as a person mentally but also on the

31:11

physical side. As you see this tweet,

31:13

here from Jerry du Lack Mike Tomlin

31:15

on progress of Ben Roethlisberger. Quote, He's

31:18

comfortable and pleased where he is. Some people who

31:20

have the opportunity to work with him are impressed

31:22

and pleased where he is. The medical experts

31:24

are comfortable where he is and his readiness for

31:27

which means we didn't

31:29

learn anything from that, George, And

31:32

that is really the big three of the big

31:34

three questions for the Steelers. It's

31:36

really just one question, how

31:39

healthy is Roethlisberger going to be? He's

31:41

thirty eight, he

31:44

are going to be thirty eight. He has coming

31:46

off a Tommy John surgery,

31:49

and you and I have

31:51

you and I have never seen this in

31:53

a QB, so we don't

31:55

know what it's going to look like. I

31:58

I personally feel better about it being

32:00

an elbow injury than a shoulder injury

32:03

at this age, but that's

32:06

probably also because I'm a baseball fan and you'd rather

32:08

have an elbow injury than a shoulder injury.

32:10

UM, I would assume that to save a football

32:12

as well, could be could

32:15

be. So anyway, that's

32:17

really the question, and it isn't something

32:19

we can answer until we see him out there. But

32:22

beyond that, it impacts what

32:25

does Juju Smith Schuster look like

32:27

in this year because exactly a

32:30

year ago you and I were having discussions

32:32

about Juju Smith and we were on opposite

32:34

sides of it, not diametrically opposed,

32:36

but I thought he does have

32:38

the stuff to be a number one receiver and make that step

32:40

up with Without Antonio Brown, you

32:43

thought he'd be better as a

32:45

really dominant number two um.

32:47

But a year later, I think we find

32:50

ourselves in the same position debating it because

32:52

you have to punt last year completely he

32:55

was injured and the quarterback play was

32:57

the worst quarterback play in the league in

32:59

the last eight games of the year. Yeah,

33:02

I completely agree with you there, Yes, typically

33:05

yeah, sure it worked out my way, but that's because Ben

33:07

got hurt. Uh. This year it starts all

33:09

over again. Ken, You can Juju be that

33:11

receiver without the great

33:13

Antonio Brown before he went off the deep end On

33:16

the other side, you know, can you take away that

33:18

defensive coverage? Uh? Remains to

33:20

be seen. I don't think he can not to be that

33:22

kind of receiver there. That being said, that the step

33:24

the Steels know that as well. I keep drafting receivers getting

33:27

guys in there, so we see how that works out. Ben

33:30

is by far the biggest question. Uh. Listen,

33:32

they are the thing, the Christian thing, the Christian conference

33:34

where he admitted what he had alcohol

33:36

issues and porn addiction.

33:39

Okay, I don't often hear that.

33:41

Um So listen. I think Ben is one of the worst human beings

33:44

on planet Earth. I think he's just a big

33:46

guy. Not for these two, by the way, for other

33:48

things he's done. Uh, I think these two. When

33:50

he when he's admitting this, I'm like, all right, what don't you admit to?

33:53

Oh he admitted to that. That's really nice of you.

33:55

Uh. Please don't put me into your category. Ben, I'm not

33:57

your kind of guy. But that being said,

34:00

on the football field, he's a damn good football player. He

34:02

is an iony player. He will throw you under the bus, it's

34:04

the way he is. But he's a really good football player.

34:06

Steeles went eight and eight last year and

34:08

they pretty much had the Pepsiican to my right playing

34:11

quarterback. It was terrible, alright.

34:14

And they were debating

34:16

the Niners and Ravens, who

34:19

they both lost, both of them in overtime

34:22

because they fumbled. Listen,

34:25

I think the Steels are playoff team this year and they were with a

34:27

playoff team last year. Do I think they're in

34:29

quite with the Ravens. No. I think the Ravens still

34:31

the better team here, but having

34:34

been should make everything better. You

34:36

know, I don't know what your second question is because I'm not cheating and

34:38

reading ahead. I imagine Ben

34:40

may solve that problem too, because if it's the running

34:43

game, doesn't having been at quarterback

34:45

solved the running game because the safety now has to

34:47

back up? Yeah,

34:49

yeah, that is one of them. My other

34:52

My first questions are really Ben's health and

34:54

can Juju really take that next step?

34:57

Um? They are connected. My other

34:59

question as this defense was

35:01

so good last year. It's

35:03

like, as a fan, You're like, God, why couldn't

35:06

they just save that performance until

35:08

Ben was back and healthy? But I think

35:10

they show that they're one of the best defenses in

35:13

the league. Can they run it back? Bud

35:15

Dupree was good last year, so good that they

35:17

they gave him and the one year

35:20

they gave him the one year option extension,

35:24

I should say, and now they're

35:28

gonna can he run it back? He was really good

35:30

last year. I think t J wattas proven he's one

35:32

of the best young defensive players

35:34

in the entire league. They were actually

35:36

without Stefan too it last year for most

35:38

of the year he was injured. Uh Cam

35:40

Heywards still there. They got Devin Bush, who's

35:43

was a really, really good as a rookie.

35:45

I wouldn't call him great, but he

35:47

was a force at middle linebacker,

35:50

which they had were missing since Ryan Jay's

35:52

years career was ended. But

35:55

in any event, that that's a question for me.

35:57

Can they run it back? I

36:00

want to see the safeties take another

36:02

step for Minka is unbelievable. I

36:04

would like to see Terrell Edmonds take a step

36:06

forward become a better player.

36:08

I think everything and I've read and watched

36:11

with his play, I wouldn't

36:13

I don't know that he's worthy of the first round selection

36:17

where they got him. But at

36:19

the same time, he is an asset. He

36:21

will be judged throughout the

36:23

rest of his career on the fact that he was a first

36:25

round pick. So if he doesn't play like

36:28

a pro bowler, people are gonna say this

36:30

guy's no first rounder. But it doesn't mean he can't

36:32

be a cog on the team for a long period

36:34

of time. You know the

36:36

defense. One of my questions to it if

36:38

THEMS plays anywhere, knew like they did last year,

36:41

as I see a super Bowl team, Yeah,

36:43

they can win the division and make the super

36:45

Bowl. The offense would be obviously much

36:47

better here, but I know it doesn't his drive

36:49

you nut as a fan when you

36:52

know it's it's amazing how I guess

36:54

certain units played differently. They

36:57

played lights out because they knew they had a terrible quarte. I could

36:59

let up one seventh points. Now they got it

37:01

back. They instead of relax a little bit. It reminds

37:03

me back when I was younger. I used to play a pitch in the United

37:05

States stick Bull League, and uh,

37:07

I was a good picture, but the guy who was ahead of

37:10

me was a better picture. The problem was he threw

37:12

harder than me, but he was Mitch Williams had

37:14

no idea where it was going most of the time. So

37:17

we played double head as he pitched the first game and

37:19

the offense for him would score five six runs

37:21

because they had because he would walk four or

37:23

five guys in a row. I pitch, I'd

37:25

get one run, maybe two.

37:27

And Jacob Gram of US

37:30

stickball, Yes, it was very similar

37:32

to that he was. He used to take me up to know, and

37:34

the guys knew it, but they would

37:36

I guess they would concentrate more or whatever because they

37:38

knew for the first guy they had to say they With the Steelers,

37:41

I do wont if that's going to happen. We've seen this happen over

37:43

and over again throughout sport, throughout the years, where

37:45

when one guy is in a certain unit plays

37:47

better when the other guys in not so much

37:49

because they know they don't have to as much. It's

37:51

just strange, but I do worry about that. What the Steelers,

37:54

they just couldn't generate any offense. They were thirtieth

37:56

in yards, they were thirty and first downs

37:59

thirty feet and passing yards twenty

38:01

ninth and rushing yards thirty and rushing

38:04

yards per attempt. They

38:06

had twenty eight touchdowns and twenty

38:09

interceptions. That's incredible, that's

38:11

incredible. That's incredibly horrible stat

38:14

The next thing we're gonna talk about the Bucks. It's actually

38:17

even worse. But uh so, here's

38:19

where they scored once after

38:21

Ben went out, they scored twenty seven

38:24

against the Bengals, against the Ravens,

38:27

against the Chargers, I think there was two defensive

38:29

touchdowns there against the

38:31

Dolphins. Then they beat the Colts with twenty

38:33

six and then it started to go after that.

38:35

That's that's really when it broke down. They

38:38

were five and four. They beat the Rams

38:40

seventeen twelve. I think that was a nationally

38:42

televised game. UM,

38:45

and then seven against the Browns

38:49

six. You know, well, you know what happened that night.

38:51

That was the Thursday night or when Mason Rudolph

38:53

got hit in the head with a helmet. Um,

38:56

Myles Garrett swung the helmet at im. I don't want to

38:58

say he got randomly hit with a but there was an

39:00

action that required that to

39:02

happen. So they scored seven against the brown

39:05

sixteen against the Bengals, won that game, twenty

39:07

against the Browns a couple of weeks later, and actually won twenty

39:10

three against the Cardinals. Won that game at

39:12

a tight one. Then ten against the

39:14

Bills and lost, ten against the Jets and lows ten

39:16

against the Ravens and lost. So those

39:18

last three games they were eight and five and

39:21

they lost all three. They scored ten

39:23

points in each game. I've I've mentioned many

39:25

times on this show. I was at

39:28

the game against the Jets is the worst football

39:30

game I watched all year and I attended it, So

39:33

thanks very much for that. Uh

39:35

So that's it. I think they're in the mix. Sports

39:40

grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment

39:42

at your fingertips seven as

39:44

our team covers the most important topics

39:46

in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive

39:49

betting models, expert picks, and more want

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dot Com

39:59

back on the Grid, closing out this hour talking

40:01

about the Tampa Bay Bucks. Everybody wants to talk about

40:03

the Bucks this offseason, and we talked about it

40:05

when we talk about it. I don't think we talked about it more

40:07

than other shows. I think probably less. But

40:10

um in the news a little bit this week.

40:13

Look, it's a dead period, so when I call it news,

40:15

there's a lot of really about COVID

40:18

and how the league is going to deal with it, and

40:20

then there's a lot of stories like this where the NFL

40:23

p A has recommended against its members

40:25

working out together as the number of COVID nineteen

40:27

cases increases in many states.

40:30

But we have seen Tom Brady working

40:32

out with some teammates along the way

40:34

another quote here. Uh, please

40:36

be advised that it is our consensus medical

40:38

opinion that, in light of the increase in COVID nineteen

40:41

cases in certain states, that no players

40:43

should be engaged in practicing together in private

40:45

workouts, was the words of Dr Tom

40:48

Mayor, the nfl PA's medical

40:50

director. So, uh, we've

40:52

seen Brady doing some workouts and teammates. It looks

40:54

like they're putting the kaibosh on that now, George.

40:57

But look, some

41:00

players are concerned about it. I think some players

41:02

are going to be willfully ignorant.

41:04

Others are gonna say, yeah, so what, I'll get

41:06

sick for a few days like Zeke did and

41:09

I'll be okay. But we know

41:11

that this could impact people in different ways.

41:13

Of course, again that's the the issue there. Uh.

41:16

Listen when it comes to uh, we heard

41:18

what Thursday morning that the end had a meeting

41:20

and you know it's funny the uh, I don't think

41:22

it was the same doctor just but they were asked

41:25

what's going on on Tompa Bay there, and

41:28

it's like, well, you know, the NFLPA and we

41:30

agree with the nlp A, but they didn't really

41:32

specifically say, hey, Tom, you shouldn't be doing this. Yeah,

41:35

I just said, we agree with the nflp A, so I don't know there's any

41:37

restrictions there. Let's let's be honest.

41:40

Tom Brady is not the only person doing this. I imagine

41:42

most teams have guys working out. We're

41:44

talking about Tampa because it's Tom

41:46

Brady. The Ravens had a picture

41:49

hanging out a couple weeks ago. Lamar was hanging out with

41:51

Marquess Brown whatever, right, so it's not

41:53

it's not just Tampa Bay doing it. And uh the

41:55

fact that he's fluenting it so uh

41:57

right in the face of everybody and clears own nf

42:00

LPA. And it's not really coming from the NFL, it's your

42:02

NFL p A. It's saying don't do it. You're still doing it.

42:04

Probably not good, but as at all, what

42:06

wakes of life until you get sick, you're

42:08

not gonna start it does not gonna affect me, not

42:11

me, you know that sort of thing. Uh,

42:13

but it is what it is. I'm not surprised. Like I said, I

42:15

think most teams are having guys do this. Yeah.

42:20

Um, so look, we

42:24

I know some people are tired of turning on sports

42:27

shows and hearing a lot about COVID, but we'll talk

42:29

about it in these contexts. I

42:31

think we've got a long way to go. I think we're gonna

42:33

run into a lot of problems along the way. I think

42:35

while it doesn't mean that everybody

42:38

in the NFL is going to contract this virus and

42:40

and be hospitalized, I

42:42

do think people are gonna have to quarantine at

42:44

times, and we're gonna lose entire units on

42:47

on teams and and that's what's really gonna

42:49

put a halt to play. UM

42:51

other sports are taking precaution

42:54

by adding extra roster spots seventeen roster

42:56

spots on NBA teams, UM

42:59

MLB. He believe that increase the number of roster

43:01

spots. I was watched watching English Premier League

43:04

soccer this week and they're going

43:06

their normal three substitute rule, went to

43:08

a five substitute rule. So that's

43:11

really just for the restart. And I think that is

43:13

health related, not just related to COVID, George,

43:16

but in leagues being

43:18

wise and understanding that, you know what, they

43:21

normally don't take three months off in the middle of the season

43:23

then started up again, and we want to

43:25

make sure that we have extra players

43:27

out here for guys that are exhausted.

43:29

It just takes while to get into plane shape. It's not

43:31

like guys haven't been working out, but they're

43:33

not in plane shape. They're not in mid season four. Oh,

43:37

you're right. I mean I keep saying it. With the NFL,

43:39

I think a lot of the play the Russell

43:41

limits are gonna be extended. You know, we're already

43:43

hearing that they wanted to go with the practice squad. I

43:46

just I just think, Mike, you're gonna

43:48

need about eighty players because I think you don't

43:50

want to make sure every NFL team has covered at

43:53

every position for what eventually

43:55

happens where you said it, All these position

43:57

groups generally have meetings with each other. If one guy

43:59

gets it, what about the other guys

44:01

in that position? Don't they have any quarantine to or

44:03

test? Or three four guys have it? Can you

44:05

have on any team three or four or five offensive

44:07

lineman out that, even if you

44:09

have an eight Amen Rocker. This is what the

44:12

exact scenario you just said. Is what I've

44:14

mentioned on this show and two people that

44:17

have debated me on social media,

44:19

which I don't get into very often, but just

44:22

saying that if an offensive line

44:24

room was exposed and

44:27

two guys test

44:29

positive and the other

44:31

six offensive lineman. Call it

44:34

seven for your practice squad.

44:36

Eight. If other eight guys

44:38

you practice squad offensive lineman were

44:40

in the meeting room with them, they're

44:43

going to have to be quarantined

44:45

there, directly exposed

44:47

or during workouts, whatever it is. And

44:50

then what do you do. We'll

44:53

find We'll find six offensive

44:55

linemen that are street free agents. What

44:58

you're gonna get your quarterback killed? That's

45:00

tis that. That's the issue. You can find six

45:02

offensive line sure, find six linebackers,

45:05

but you're gonna get that thirty five million dollar

45:07

quarterback dad. You're just gonna get

45:09

all the XFL guys that did that didn't.

45:12

By the way, there's an issue with street free agents

45:14

right now in the NFL, when they would normally

45:16

be building up towards ninety men rosters, they

45:19

haven't met with any of these guys. So going

45:21

into training camp, your roster

45:24

right after the draft is what it is now. I'm

45:26

sure there are a couple of free agent signings teams

45:29

are familiar with some street free agents, but

45:31

there's normally a process that builds these

45:33

rosters up towards nineties, we get to July

45:36

and that process has not occurred. You

45:39

just think about it. I mean, we always

45:41

have every rule design in football is for the quarterback,

45:43

right to protect the quarterback. I think it's could

45:45

be that one of those things that really crushed the season

45:48

real quick of a couple of teams have offensive linement

45:50

problems. The NFL isn't the advantage

45:52

where they could cancel a couple of weeks, you

45:54

know, and then you know, play at the February, if you play

45:57

in the March, if you had to listen. I don't think

45:59

it's gonna work anyways. I think the virus. I

46:01

think it'll get too convoluted, and they were could

46:05

work that way. You can't, right,

46:07

you can't go and you can't play in the winter. So

46:09

I just think they're gonna have all sorts of issues here.

46:12

I hope they get I hope I'm wrong. I hope they get it through. We

46:15

all want to see the game, But I think I think

46:17

logically or realistically, yeah,

46:19

we're starting probability likelihood.

46:21

I just think it's gonna be really difficult. I

46:23

think you'll start to see games get postponed,

46:26

and then it will lead to cancelations, So

46:29

let's talk. Let's go back to the Bucks and they're

46:31

big three questions, so I'll set up their odds as

46:33

you can see here on the screen

46:36

to win the NFC South plus one

46:38

sixty there behind only the Saints, so second

46:40

most likely team to win that division. We know about the

46:42

Panthers really and kind of

46:44

rebuild mode, and the Falcons probably stepped

46:46

behind this to win the NFC Championship plus seven

46:49

hundred. They're one of the top few teams on the

46:51

board to win the Super Bowl plus fifteen hundred,

46:53

which was better than the Steelers

46:56

and even slightly better than Dallas. I think

46:58

they're the fifth most favorite

47:00

team. The Bucks are the wind totals at

47:03

nine and a half the over the Juice

47:05

at minus one thirty to make the playoffs minus

47:07

two thirty not to make the playoffs at plus one

47:09

eighty four. We have said a few

47:11

times during the course of evaluating

47:14

these teams over the spring and summer now

47:16

early summer that while

47:18

nine and a half seems like a jump,

47:20

this team did win seven games last

47:23

year and the

47:25

schedule lines up well. The

47:27

big question for the team

47:30

is obviously the Arians Brady

47:32

transition are what offense

47:34

are they going to run? Is it going to

47:37

be a little bit too vertical for Tom Brady

47:39

to be able to handle? Um,

47:41

that's really the big question. Does Brady fit

47:43

well in Tampa as well as they want them to

47:45

fit well. I don't think Brady fits

47:48

Arian's offense. Now. If I think Aria just smarnging up

47:50

to know that, I think he's gonna calm it down

47:52

a little bit. I think it will be a mixture

47:54

of what Tom Brady likes to run an Arian's offense.

47:57

It just I mean, you think about it once

47:59

again, logically, would you rather have I

48:01

don't know, the thirty guys on office?

48:03

Would you real to have thirty guys on offense learning

48:05

your offense? O? One guy learning

48:08

your offense. So I think as much as Tom Brady

48:10

might like it, his offense to become the Tampa Bay

48:12

doesn't make sense that thirty guys trying to learn it. They

48:14

Tom, Who's you know? We know Tom's

48:17

great learning offense. Are got a great memory, great recall

48:19

and all that. He'll learn the Arians offense. But

48:21

only Arian's gonna have him do bombs away.

48:23

He can't. Tom won't last. His arm is

48:25

not not built to hold that up there. So I think

48:27

Tom will just fine as soon that

48:30

Arians makes that adjustment as well. I worry about

48:32

you about Arians more than Tom, because Areas

48:34

needs to calm down. You can't say you can't go bombs

48:37

away every time with Tom, he won't make it throughout the year.

48:39

Yeah. So to give you some stats from

48:41

last year, just guess, George,

48:44

how many turnovers do you think they had last year in

48:46

total? Well, we know they had at least thirty,

48:49

um, forty

48:52

one. It's not as high as you said, but forty

48:54

one, and they turned them all over eight

48:57

times, so they're at a minus thirteen.

49:00

Uh, that was the most turnovers in the league. Forty

49:02

one they were. They gave

49:04

it the most passing yards in the league. There.

49:07

Some of the other stats for them, um

49:11

was were brutal. They

49:13

they average field position

49:15

was third worst in the league, so

49:18

they had a really tough time being put in bad

49:20

field position. But you look at some of the other defensive

49:23

stats, they're actually fairly

49:25

positive. They ended up giving up a lot of points,

49:27

but again, those turnovers put them in tough

49:30

positions. It wasn't like it was a pick six

49:32

every time, but there were a few of those um

49:34

as far as their average drive

49:36

time and average plays per drive. That's also

49:38

skewed because the starting field position was so

49:41

bad. But in general, I just feel

49:43

like the forty one turnovers

49:46

with Tom Brady engineering that offense,

49:48

George conservatively,

49:52

you can knock that down by fifteen or twenty

49:54

turnovers. I don't

49:56

know about twenty half is a lot. That's eleven

49:58

fumbles, and as you watch the

50:00

games that all those in decepentions were on, Jamie,

50:03

some of those are wrong routes of bulls going

50:04

out receiver's hands. I probably

50:07

say you knocking a third, which is close enough.

50:09

I can certainly give that as a Tampa is a good team.

50:12

They've got good players all over the place, and

50:14

the defenses we keep pointing out was better than advertised,

50:16

especially in the second half of last year. And

50:18

as a great point you bring out, boy,

50:21

I mean the deceptions who no matter who you want to blame

50:23

it on, they put the divas in bad spots

50:25

and a lot of times you know what defense is starting from inside

50:28

their fifty all the time. Because there's another

50:30

turnover and it hasn't the fleet you as

50:32

well, another turnover. Here

50:34

we go again. Here we go again and seems always

50:36

turned the bull over on the first drive. By the way, it's

50:38

weird. So it is what it is

50:40

there. I think Tom will calm things down. Plus

50:43

they're gonna get that extra energy. Tom's

50:45

here right, goats here, and

50:48

I think that will help as well. Here. I think the

50:50

the talent on the field is there once

50:53

again, though, I think they get hurt by the short offseason.

50:56

Yeah. Um, you know, we know

50:58

they have good weapons and god Win in Evans.

51:01

At tight end they have O. J. Howard,

51:03

Rob Gronkowski, Cameron brad That's

51:05

as deep a tight end trio as

51:07

you can find. The offensive line

51:09

is a real question. Donovan Smith at left tackle.

51:12

They've paid Donovan Smith, but he's not a premier

51:14

left tackle, Ali Mark Butt, Ryan

51:16

Jensen, Alex Kappa, They traff Tristan Worf's

51:19

probably slots into right tackle as a rookie.

51:21

Perhaps long term he's the left tackle.

51:23

You would suspect that he could be, but Tristan works maybe

51:25

comes in. He's good as a rookie. Improved the

51:27

offensive line, can they get a running game going? Donald

51:30

Jones and Keishawn Vaughan, What do you think of that? Keyshawn

51:32

von the rookie out of Vanderbilt. What do you think of that? Do I

51:35

kind of like it? I think it's once again. I think it'll be

51:37

a good enough threat there. He's gonna want to throw

51:39

the ball to them anyway. Uh, they need

51:42

once again be representative. They don't need

51:44

to be sequon Barkley, just be

51:46

representative with the defense has to respect

51:48

it. Yeah. Um, and defensively,

51:51

I'll just run through the starting lineup because there's

51:54

names on here and Donald Consue signs

51:56

back their signs there, Vida

51:59

Vella, William Goldston, Jason

52:01

Pierre, Paul, Davin White, the

52:03

number five overall pick from twenty

52:05

nineteen draft, Levante David still there in

52:07

the middle, Shack Barrett, he's on the

52:09

franchise tag. I don't think he's signed it

52:12

yet. I have to check

52:14

that one. Carlton Davis, Mike Edwards, Justin

52:16

Evans, Sean Murphy, Bunning,

52:18

They drafted Antoine Winfield. So the weakness

52:21

is in the secondary. They haven't been able to cover

52:23

anybody for years, George. But

52:27

can they continue to get pressure on the quarterback less

52:29

turnovers? Honestly, it's

52:32

in some ways I couldn't believe they were seven and nine

52:34

last year, and that's why I think so many people

52:36

are bullished. They figured the turnover direct differential

52:38

works itself out and his team gets itself

52:41

to ten wins just based on that. Barrett

52:43

has not signed his franchise tender. I

52:46

think is the playoff team. I don't. I don't think they need

52:48

the sage, but they'll make a playoffs. Good stuff.

52:50

That's it for this hour of football. Full Circle

52:52

will be back again sometime soon. Sports

52:54

grid dot com Betting insides and Entertainment

52:57

at your fingertips seven as

52:59

our team ver's the most important topics

53:01

in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive

53:03

betting models, expert picks, and more. Want

53:05

the edge than get on the grid. Sports grid

53:08

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