PMT DB
PMT DB
Bret Bielema and Andy Staples on Saban, SEC Fatigue, and Playoff Chaos
Wild Card Weekend delivered the goods, even if it meant watching Blake Bortles and Tyrod Taylor try to throw a football in a light breeze. Big Cat and PFT kicked things off with a Fastest 2 Minutes that featured more Mike Greenberg references than anyone requested, but it set the stage for a recap of a weekend where the favorites mostly forgot how to play football in the second half.
Meltdowns and Magic in Kansas City
The Chiefs doing Chiefs things in the playoffs is as certain as death and taxes. Andy Reid has seen it all, but losing after being up 21-3 to a Titans team led by a quarterback catching his own touchdown pass is a new level of misery. Big Cat isn't ready to jump off the Reid ship just yet, but the Alex Smith era feels like it's reaching its natural, boring conclusion.
Big CatAndy Reid is one of the best coaches in the NFL
I actually think Andy Reid's one of the best coaches in the NFL. But how long he's been coaching in the NFL, that this meltdown didn't even register on the Andy Reid meltdown scale.
While the Chiefs were busy collapsing, Marcus Mariota was proving why he might just be the guy to lead a franchise. Big Cat has his preferences when it comes to the 2015 draft class, and one playoff win in Arrowhead has him feeling vindicated.
Big CatMarcus Mariota is better than Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota impressed me. That's the guy I believe in. That's the guy who I've, whenever someone says Jameis Winston versus Marcus Mariota, my answer is always Marcus Mariota.
The Rams’ Bright Lights and the Jags’ Defense
Out in LA, the Rams looked like a bunch of kids who realized they were in a playoff game about three quarters too late. Sean McVay's squad struggled with fumbles and a field that looked like it was treated with PAM cooking spray. Despite the exit, the guys see a massive window for the NFC West's newest powerhouse.
Big CatThe Rams will be really good for the next five years
I think the Rams are going to be really good for like the next five years. Really, really good.
Then there was the Jaguars-Bills game, a 10-3 masterpiece that was so bad it actually became must-watch television. Between the teal hot dogs and Bills fans trying to find a table to break in Jacksonville, it was a scene. PFT pointed out that while Bortles was busy rushing for more yards than he threw for, the defense proved they are the real deal.
PFT CommenterThe Jaguars defense is one of the best of the last decade
Actually, like, the Jaguars' defense is one of the best defenses I've seen in, like, the last 10 years. They are really, really good, and they've got a lot of young guys.
Coach Bret Bielema on the Alabama Machine
Former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema joined the show to give some insight into what it’s actually like to stand across the field from Nick Saban. He’s played Bama for five straight years, and he knows exactly how they wait for you to blink before they throat punch you. Bielema has been in the film room with the other coaches, and he expects the National Championship to be a pure slugfest.
Bret BielemaThe National Championship between Alabama and Georgia will be the most physical of the playoff era
I don't know if you'll see a game of this magnitude be as physical as these two teams are going to make it. That's what they both pride themselves on.
Bielema also shared some insight into the Georgia backfield, noting that while they have a stable of horses, one senior stands out as the guy who can actually find a seam against the Crimson Tide’s front.
Bret BielemaSony Michel is the bell cow of the Georgia backfield
Either one of those senior running backs. I'm probably a little bit more to Sony just because I think he's got a little bit more extra. You know what I mean?
Andy Staples on SEC Fatigue and QB Prospects
SI’s Andy Staples hopped on to discuss why everyone outside of the Deep South is currently rolling their eyes at an all-SEC final. He isn't optimistic about the television audience for this one, mostly because the rest of the country is tired of the "SEC" chants.
Andy StaplesThe National Championship TV ratings are going to suck
The ratings are going to suck. There's no question the ratings are going to suck. Because outside of this quarter of the country, people just don't care.
Staples also looked ahead to the NFL Draft, where he’s planting his flag on Baker Mayfield as the best of the bunch. He sees the same "dog" in Baker that he saw in Deshaun Watson, while he remains skeptical of Josh Rosen’s jack-of-all-trades vibe.
Andy StaplesBaker Mayfield is the best quarterback in the draft
Baker Mayfield. I take Baker Mayfield over any of them. I was the same way with Deshaun Watson last year. ... That dude, he operates as quick as the good NFL quarterbacks when you watch the guys you watch on Sunday.
Before letting him go, Staples gave Big Cat the ultimate gift: a guarantee that Wisconsin will eventually hoist a crystal ball, even if it takes a few more decades of cheese-curd-fueled offensive line play.
Andy StaplesWisconsin will win a national title in Big Cat's lifetime
Wisconsin will win a national title in your lifetime. It will happen. ... I actually think football is a better chance probably, because basketball is a real lightning bolt.
The Foxborough Civil War
Not to brag, but the guys saw the Patriots crumbling coming from a mile away. The big ESPN expose on the friction between Brady, Belichick, and Kraft was pure fuel for everyone who wants to see the dynasty end. Big Cat is convinced that Belichick’s ruthless streak almost led to a world where Jimmy Garoppolo was the starter and Brady was looking for a new home.
Big CatBill Belichick was ready to move Tom Brady to keep Jimmy Garoppolo to avoid a late-career decline
I do totally think that Bill Belichick was ready to go to Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason. I absolutely do. That makes perfect sense because even if Tom Brady wins the Super Bowl, Belichick's one mark is that he always gets rid of guys before they start to decline.
Whether the Patriots win another ring or the "Nobody Believed in Us" tour starts in earnest, the tension in Foxborough is the juiciest thing in the NFL right now.
If Nick Saban wins another title, he might actually allow himself one full minute of joy before calling a five-star recruit to tell them their pad level is embarrassing.
