Takes

Patrick Mahomes is ahead of Tom Brady's pace for greatness

Yeah, I mean, it's tough to deny if he wins a Super Bowl. He is on pace... I'd say ahead of pace.

Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive coordinators of all time

Steve Spagnuolo, he is probably one of, if not the best defensive coordinators of all time. When you think about what he's done, he is got three Super Bowls. He stopped the [2007] Patriots, one of the best offenses of all time... held the Ravens, one of the best teams this year in terms of offense, completely befuddled the MVP of the league.

NFL players should be allowed to taunt

I think taunting should not be a penalty in the NFL. They're pros. If you wanna do it in the college, that's fine... The guys are putting their life on the line. They're playing a passionate game. This is the biggest game of their lives. You should be able to taunt.

Patrick Mahomes' leadership was the key to his young receivers' success

He deserves a ton of credit because what Patrick Mahomes never did this entire season is give any type of complaint publicly about his wide receivers. And it's paying off now because he basically stood in front of the bullets for these guys to suck for the majority of the year... and get a Rashee Rice to a point where he's like an actually really good receiver.

The Lamar vs. Mahomes matchup mirrored the Fields vs. Williams debate

Was it just watching the Justin Fields vs. Caleb Williams debate play out in real time? Like one guy can make all the passes. One guy can—he's a good passer, but when the things get tight, windows get tight, moments get tight, the passes aren't exactly precise.

The NFL Super Bowl should be called by the season's best announcers

I think that the Super Bowl should be announced by the best announcers that year... It should be Greg Olsen and Jim Nantz.

This might be Jim Nantz's last NFL season

A friend of the show told me this... He has a theory that this might be Jim Nantz's last football game.

Lamar Jackson and Todd Monken share the blame 70/30 for the Ravens' loss

I'm giving 70% of the blame to Lamar and then 30% to Todd Monken.

Dan Campbell's aggression is why the Lions were in the championship game

The whole reason the Lions are in this spot is because of his aggression. That's how he coaches the team. That's how he's built the team... I agree with you. I don't hate that [fourth down] call because I really think people are just forgetting the fact they do not like or trust their kicker.

Onside kick rules need to be changed because they are currently impossible

They need to change the onside kick. It's impossible. You used to be able to recover an onside kick once every what, 10, 11% of the time. Now nobody does... Change it like the XFL and be like, you have to convert a fourth and 20.

Brock Purdy is on track to be a franchise quarterback

If Brock Purdy was taken with like a top 10 pick... I think we'd be like, Purdy is good showing signs of living up to his draft status... I think he's probably on track to be a franchise quarterback.

The Wisconsin Badgers are going on a miracle run in March

I am all in on the Badgers. They're good... and I'm believing, I'm believing in a miracle March run. I'm usually pretty honest about where my heart is... I'm gonna be unsafe in March. If they keep playing the way they're playing, I'm gonna be emotionally unsafe.

Every Arizona fan is scared to play Wisconsin in the tournament

Every Arizona fan heard you say that and like, Max is the dumbest person ever. He doesn't know ball. Every Arizona fan is scared of Wisconsin. That's a fact... We whooped them twice in the Elite Eight to go to the Final Four.

Joel Embiid ducked Nikola Jokic in Denver

We were robbed of Joel Embiid playing in Denver against Jokic. 15 minutes before the game, he's like, no, I don't wanna play. I wanna duck... He hasn't played in Denver since 2019. He likes to play Jokic at home and then he's an 'out' guy... when they get to Denver, his knee hurts.

The NFL rules have gone too far in favoring high-scoring offenses

The offense is so great. You can't tell me that the rule changes they've made have not forced this to just be an insane... every game is in the 240s total wise. Guys are scoring 70. You can't hold or grab anyone. You can't touch 'em. I think they've gone too far.

Planes are having a moment right now

I think planes are having a moment. They are. You had Top Gun Maverick. You've got [Masters of the Air]. You've got Boeing. You've got that lady that got kicked off for farting on the plane. So a lot of stuff about planes recently.

Adrian Griffin was fired because he failed to make Giannis Antetokounmpo like him

The only reason I don't feel bad for Adrian Griffin... his only job was to make Giannis [Antetokounmpo] like him. And maybe Giannis never gave him a shot. But if you could just get Giannis to like you, you won't get fired.

Jim Harbaugh will lead the Chargers to a Super Bowl within five years

I think Jim Harbaugh will be in a Super Bowl within the next five years with the Chargers. Justin Herbert will look good. They will go deep into the Playoffs and winning cures all.

Michigan fans would accept any amount of future sanctions for the 2023 National Title

He just won a national title. He beat Ohio State three years in a row. If you're a Michigan fan, you sign up for that a hundred times out of a hundred. No matter what happens after this. Who cares about sanctions?

Deebo Samuel is a bigger factor for the 49ers than the weather or Brock Purdy's skill set

That is way more significant than the rain and how Brock Purdy looked is losing Deebo Samuel. If he's not playing, the Lions are as live as live could be. He's that much of a game changer.

The Chiefs will beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl

I just don't know how it happens. I don't know where it happens. But the Chiefs will win again because until I see Mahomes get knocked off his block, he's not losing and they're gonna beat the Niners.

Justin Fields could fetch a first or second-round pick in a trade

I think [Justin Fields] could be either a first-round pick or a second-round pick. But if you're talking about a first-round pick, you're talking about a team that needs a quarterback... like the Falcons at the eighth pick.

Dave Canales will be the coach that saves Bryce Young in Carolina

Canales was not the lead dog in that room... but all along they wanted to go young offensive to get Bryce Young... what Canales did with [Baker] Mayfield was tremendous. I think that's a good fit.

The Ravens-Chiefs AFC Championship game will be a low-scoring defensive struggle

I actually think Chiefs-Ravens is a low scoring game. I think it's in the twenties... like 23-20. I think it's an amazing scene in Baltimore.

A star wide receiver will be traded before the 2024 NFL Draft

I think one of these star wide receivers will be traded. And I'm saying that... when you look across the league, a Diggs and AJ Brown might not be traded, but those type of players... I think we get one of those big veteran trades.

James Harden will try to score 60 points in his next game to answer Joel Embiid

I'm gonna bet on James Harden in his next game to go out there and try to score like 55, 60 points. Yeah. I feel like he's got something to prove. He's got an answer for it.

Joel Embiid will not win MVP this year because he'll miss too many games

He probably won't be able to win MVP 'cause he's gonna miss too many games this year. He's already missed 11 outta 40... it will be very funny if Joel Embiid has like an even better year than last year. But because he plays like 64 games instead of 65, that'll be the quickest that everyone will turn on a rule.

If the Celtics stay healthy, they will win the championship this year

I've said it the whole year. If, if this team is healthy in the Playoffs, they'll win the Championship. Chris Saps has been an amazing addition... Just gotta stay healthy.

The word 'analytics' is used as a placeholder for any number that sports fans dislike

I have a take. And that's, people just use the word, they substitute the word analytics in whenever there's a number that they don't like and they're like, this is analytics.

Analytics have ruined baseball and basketball, but they've made football more exciting

Analytics or you know, advanced statistics, Sabre metrics, all these things has in a way ruined baseball and basketball... Football is the one sport where analytics and advance like metrics has made football significantly more exciting... the nineties football and early 2000 football when it wasn't even a question. If you had a fourth and two, you'd punt. Like, why would you want that?

Bill Belichick to the Buffalo Bills would be a perfect fit

Now it does feel like Belichick is gonna go to the Falcons, but Rex Ryan threw something out yesterday that I kind of, I don't hate Belichick to the bills... think of the puns... it actually makes sense. I think it may for a team that wants to win... if I'm Belichick I would, I would put feelers out there and be like, if, if you gimme a call, I will answer the phone.

I am officially supporting the 49ers over the Lions because the Lions are a division rival

I've reached my limit of pulling even remotely for a division rival. I I'm done, I'm done with the lines. I think I have to just go Niners. 'cause it's just, they're, they're a division rival. Like I told you, I was reaching my limit and I've reached my limit.

Tristan Thompson took cheap steroids intended for physical appearance rather than performance

Tristan Thompson... Got busted for steroids... I went immediately to my number one source of steroids in the world that I know named Billy Football. And he said the craziest thing is that he was taking Broke Boys steroids. Oh. Stuff Frat Boys and Talkers used to bulk up... He was doing it for the look, not for the functionality.

You must always defer the coin toss if you win it

Why would you not defer, why would you not get the ball back to, to start the second half? I just assumed that was like a, a cardinal fundamental rule. And then when you look at the stats... I think you should just defer every time.

Steph Curry belongs in the NBA GOAT conversation

I put Steph Curry up there. He's in the Go-cart. I'm putting Steph Curry in the GOAT conversation right now.

Lifting weights is significantly more effective for getting in shape than cardio

It's crazy how don don't know when we learned this as like kids what point we're like, oh yeah, to get in shape you gotta run. That's so wrong. Like cardio. Okay, fine... Dude. Lifting weights is the best way to get in shape. 'cause you just feel stronger and you start, your metabolism goes, it feels good.

Josh Allen is not the reason the Bills are losing in the playoffs

I hate the fact that we gotta hear the takes again as if like QB wins is a stat anyways. But on top of it, the teams that he's lost to for the most part in the Playoffs have been the chiefs and, and Joe Burrow... the guy has, he, he is got a hundred rating for his career in the postseason. He has 21 touchdowns for interceptions. He's not the reason they're losing these games.

The Buffalo Bills should fix their problems by moving to the NFC

Move the team to the NFC. Like on like it is dicey with the cap... You bring up a great point and obviously like digs his, his issues down the stretch... But move the team to the NFC.

Brock Purdy is a fringe top-10 quarterback, not in the elite tier yet

For me to not call Jalen Hurts one of the top five to six quarterbacks in the league, we've gotten so emotional... long story short, I think Purdy deserves a lot of credit. I think he's a fringe top 10 guy wherever you wanna put him on the, you know, on the inside of that top 10. On the outside of the top 10.

NFL teams should always hire offensive play-callers as head coaches to ensure continuity

What makes me nervous about defensive head coaches is inevitably when your rookie quarterback or your unproven quarterback has success, you're gonna lose that play caller... I would go with an offensive play caller. 'cause that's what I look around and see.

David Tepper should sue the S2 cognition test people for ruining his operation

I think that David Tepper should sue the S2 people because I am studying for the bar exam and you have to prove that you have financial damages and liability. David Tepper could very easily be like, 'You fucked over my entire operation.'

The S2 cognition test people are trying to cover their asses regarding CJ Stroud

The S2 cognition test or whatever the fuck it's called... they're literally just trying to cover their ass. Like combine seasons coming up. Once CJ Stroud ended up being incredible and Rookie of the Year and all these things, they have to cover their ass some ways. So they're like, 'Haha, just a prank, it was an incorrect test score and it never should have been counted.'

Jim Harbaugh will be the head coach of the Chargers

I feel like this week we're gonna start getting some announcements. Bill Belichick for the Falcons, Harbaugh to the Chargers. Yep. That type of stuff.

Kyle Shanahan has 'shit for brains' when it comes to clock management

You basically make the perfect football coach in terms of demeanor, scheme, intellect... and then you say, 'but let's just tweak it a little bit to fuck with him.' Let's give him a quarterback he never fully trusts and also give him shit for brains when it comes to clock management. And that's Kyle Shanahan.

Chase Young's lack of production is glaringly obvious and disappointing

Chase Young stinks... he looks so intimidated. He looks like such a good football player that when he doesn't put up any stats, you're like, 'what's going on with this guy?' ... He leads the league in tackling non-ball carriers.

America will turn on the Lions in two years if they win a Super Bowl

I feel like if the Lions get to win a Super Bowl, they'll get probably like a two-year grace period before America starts to turn on them. We turn on people pretty quickly... it might happen right away.

Missing the field goal was slightly better for Bills fans than Patrick Mahomes throwing a dagger

Losing the game this way [the wide right] is a little bit better than if [Tyler Bass] makes that kick, you kick off to Patrick Mahomes, he's got a minute 40 seconds left and then he drives down the field and puts a dagger in your heart again... you can be like, 'fucking kickers.'

Patrick Mahomes is Inevitable and the new Tom Brady

Patrick Mahomes is the new Tom Brady. They are—they just will steal joy from every franchise in the AFC for the next 15 years. That's just a fact. Patrick Mahomes is Inevitable. That's what he is. He wins playoff games better than anyone else.

The Bills must fire Sean McDermott because he's absorbed too much sadness

They have to make a change at coach... there's just too much sadness that follows him. If you're a coach, you eat some—coaches eat those losses. Some coaches just like absorb them into their bodies and get sad and they carry that baggage with them forever. Sean McDermott has just—he's been around for too many bad moments.

The Patriots will make the Super Bowl in the next four years

I owe [PFT] $20,000 [if the Patriots don't make the Super Bowl in the next 5 years]. ... You're down one year already. You got four years left. ... New coach. Top three pick. ... Look how fast the Lions did it. ... There's a path.