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00:00Spread lines. Let's get you caught up on those interesting games throughout this weekend and also throughout tonight.
00:06And that deals with the NFL. We got an imposing schedule on Sunday.
00:10One game at 3 o'clock. That is the AFC Championship game.
00:13One game at 6.30 p.m. That's the NFC Championship game.
00:16So let's start with the AFC Championship game.
00:18The New England Patriots taking on the Denver Broncos.
00:21This line, Joe, been bouncing around all week long.
00:23Four and a half to five and a half, depending on where you're shopping at.
00:26And the total that's continued to rise here.
00:28The 40 and a half is now up to 42 and a half.
00:31Joe, if we take a look at the weather forecast, we talked yesterday.
00:34It's supposed to be nice in Denver.
00:35The temperatures are starting to drop here.
00:37Listen on the initial weather impact.
00:3922 degrees at kickoff.
00:41Now anticipated for Sunday's action.
00:43No precipitation in the forecast.
00:45And winds gradually gaining up to about 9 to 10 miles per hour.
00:49That's where we sit on a Wednesday.
00:50So your spread line for this game, Joe, once again, Patriots and Broncos, is what?
00:55Well, keep it on. It's a great point, Donnie.
00:57This time of year, keep an eye on the weather.
01:00Because it can change drastically over every 24-hour period before we get to kickoff.
01:07But again, you're right.
01:09The interesting part about this game is from when it opened to where we are currently this morning, Donnie,
01:15there has been a lot of bouncing back and forth.
01:18Every time we seem to get up to 5.5, half the books, Donnie, are going back down.
01:24It's being bought that to 4.5.
01:26And then we see more of that Patriot money come in.
01:30It gets bounced up to 5.
01:31Then we go back.
01:32And it seems to have this cycle right now.
01:34But over the next 24 hours, limits will increase.
01:37And I think that's where you're going to have a pretty good indicator on whether or not this is likely going to stay put at where we are.
01:45It'll probably land somewhere in the middle, maybe 5, 5.5.
01:49But the prevailing thought in the risk rooms that I hear, Donnie, is that we don't think this is getting anywhere near a key number.
01:57We're not getting anywhere near 7.
01:59And we're likely not getting anywhere near 3.
02:02So what you see here is what you're going to get.
02:04Just pick the winner.
02:06No man's land, as Joe liked to call it here.
02:08Maybe so.
02:09And also, we're going to start to get those practice reports filing out here on a Wednesday.
02:13Keep in mind who's healthy, who's not.
02:15Because we told you the Denver Broncos got a couple of banged up wide receivers.
02:17And also, all we're asking for is, ooh, how good Stidham looked in practice to start to spur that comeback, per se, for the Denver Broncos on that spread line.
02:25And also understand this.
02:26Only about 25% of the tickets early week here are coming in on the Denver Broncos.
02:30Something to keep an eye on.
02:32Game number two on Sunday, the NFC Championship game.
02:34The Los Angeles Rams taking on the Seattle Seahawks.
02:37That's Stafford and Darnold.
02:38They're going to do it again the third time this season.
02:41But how about this, Joe?
02:42We opened up at 2.5.
02:44It's 1.5, 2.5, depending on where you're shopping.
02:46We're not getting to the threes out here.
02:47We saw some blinking threes early in the week.
02:50They're not out there now.
02:50Thanduul, DraftKings, BetMGM, 365, and even out in Vegas at the Westgate.
02:54All minus 2.5 with a total of 47.5.
02:58I don't know if we get the threes, and I don't know if we drop the twos, Joe.
03:01What's that Wednesday spread line for you here?
03:04Likely, Donnie, from what I am hearing inside these risk rooms, is that we are likely getting to two, maybe even 1.5,
03:12before we get anywhere near three or 3.5 here.
03:16And the big question right now, at least with the professional money, is what is Sam Darnold's situation here?
03:23Because he wasn't tested at all in that game against the 49ers.
03:28He didn't have to do anything.
03:30We also know that Charbonnet's done now for the year, right?
03:33He was put on the shelf, which means they're short in the running back spot.
03:37That two-headed monster is now just a one-headed monster, and the Rams' defense is not what the 49ers' defense is.
03:46So there are going to be some questions, I think, during the week, and it's going to reflect in where this line moves
03:52about how truly healthy is Sam Darnold.
03:55And don't forget, the Rams have picked him off in two games six times already this season, Donnie.
04:01So this is going to be interesting to keep an eye on.
04:03Also, very important to keep an eye on the weather in Seattle.
04:07We know this, 47, 47.5.
04:10There has been an uptick in over money, but that can change as the weather changes.
04:16NFL news and notes.
04:17This is called roughly 10 spots open in NFL for head coaches to be hired.
04:22We're starting that carousel here.
04:23And day by day, spot by spot, horse by horse on that carousel, they're getting filled up.
04:29And the biggest one of all, maybe the New York Giants actually having their coach of their future.
04:34It's John Harbaugh, $20 million to resurrect that franchise over five years.
04:39Can he do it?
04:40The optimism certainly is high.
04:42They got their man, Joe, and they're happy about it from the press conference yesterday.
04:47They should be, Donnie.
04:48I mean, that is exactly what they needed when they needed it.
04:53You know, life is funny, right?
04:55Timing is everything.
04:56And for Harbaugh to become available the way he did, and for the Giants, I mean, wondering,
05:03they've been without a head coach now.
05:05When did they fire table?
05:06Halfway through?
05:07I mean, there has been a lot of questions about what direction they were going.
05:12Why did they hold on to the GM?
05:14And you know what?
05:15All of that is gone.
05:16They knew Harbaugh.
05:17The minute they knew he was available, from Tom Coughlin on, anybody that has ever had any influence in this organization,
05:24apparently picked up the phone to the Mara family and said, go get whatever it takes.
05:30Go get him.
05:31And that's exactly what they did.
05:33And is Harbaugh having any thoughts?
05:35Boy, if I would have waited 24 hours, that'd still be in the state of New York.
05:38But with the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen, we'll never know.
05:41But sitting back with $20 million in your back pocket doesn't even matter at this point.
05:45Joe Shane, here's a clip of him talking about the procedures yesterday and getting their head coach.
05:49We were looking for a proven winner and an elite leader.
05:54We're fortunate we were able to find both.
05:57John Harbaugh has amassed 193 career victories, 13 playoff wins, and a Super Bowl championship.
06:03John Harbaugh has built a foundation of culture, player development, and toughness throughout each of his programs that he's been a part of.
06:17He's a proven winner, and when we set out to do this, we knew that John was going to be the perfect person for the New York Giants.
06:25When we did our research, what continually came up was John's respect that the players had for him and the ability to develop young men.
06:37And with that being said, I would like to introduce to you the next head football coach of the New York Giants, John Harbaugh.
06:47I don't know, man.
06:48Seems like a general manager that's like, you know what?
06:50I hope this works out, and I won't make any waves.
06:54You get what you want.
06:55I just want to have a job here, Joe.
06:57You know what would have been great if he would have been like, is that two sugars, John?
07:01Did you say?
07:02Yes, correct.
07:02How many?
07:02Yeah.
07:03How many?
07:03Did you want a cookie with that, too?
07:05I'll be right back.
07:06Yeah.
07:06Go get the Starbucks order here, my friend.
07:09You are lucky to have a job still in that organization.
07:13But yeah, we know there is a new sheriff in town, and he would not have taken the job if he would have had to answer to Shane there.
07:21That would not have taken place.
07:22Jonathan Gannon, former Eagles defensive coordinator, then the former Arizona head coach.
07:28Now, could it be the future Packers defensive coordinator?
07:31As team's starting to interview the general manager, excuse me, interview the defensive mind.
07:36Maybe even the Cowboys?
07:37Gannon, look at that.
07:38Looks like he's wanted.
07:40Well, he should be.
07:41I mean, he was a pretty good defense.
07:42You know this, Donnie.
07:43He was a pretty good D.C., right?
07:46I mean, so, again, you know, sometimes you got to fail before you can succeed here.
07:51And call me crazy, he brings a pretty good D.C. knowledge to the table.
07:56Much like Salah, he will likely get another shot.
08:00He just ended up with the single worst dysfunctional franchise.
08:03And that's saying a lot, Raiders, but the single worst dysfunctional franchise for his first gig.
08:10Looking at the current coaching carousel here, Joe.
08:12Arizona without a head coach.
08:14The Atlanta Falcons, Stefanski's there.
08:15Ravens, no head coach.
08:16Bills, no head coach.
08:17Browns, no head coach.
08:18Raiders, no head coach.
08:20Dolphins have a coach.
08:21Giants have a coach.
08:22Steelers, no coach.
08:23Tennessee with a coach.
08:24Still a lot of spots open here.
08:26A ton of spots open here.
08:29I'm laughing here, Donnie.
08:31Down here in Miami, you know, Jeff Hadley's your new head.
08:35People are like, who?
08:37Who is that?
08:38Where is he?
08:40It didn't exactly move the needle here in South Florida, their first hire.
08:44But I think this is going to be interesting.
08:47Now I think the dominoes begin to fall, Donnie, because college football's over and the draft will be here before we know it.
08:53Jesse Minter getting called back a second time for a chance to get that Raiders top job here.
08:59I always thought if you're going to get a quarterback and draft the number one, you got to get an offensive guy.
09:03The Raiders, they do everything backwards, and maybe they'll do this backwards as well.
09:07Oh, you got to think there are just some organizations here that will not get it right in any way, shape, or form.
09:13The Raiders, Arizona, there's a few of them that won't, Donnie.
09:18No, certainly not.
09:19And the Raiders, I don't expect greatness from them because Tom Brady, they try.
09:23Hey, we're going to come in right away and build the winner.
09:25They did everything wrong.
09:27Draft a running back high when your team stinks.
09:29Hire an aging coach.
09:30Get a quarterback that you traded for that was already done on the market, paid him a lot of money.
09:34And Gino Smith, congratulations, Raiders.
09:37Hour number two in full effect, right here on a hump day Wednesday on the Sports Grid Network.
09:41This is the early line, Donnie Wrightside, joined by Joe Ranieri.
09:44Now we welcome in our friend, George Kurtz.
09:47A lot of information to go over, AFC, NFC Championship Weekend, and also the coaching search carousel in the NFL always continues, George.
09:55Good to have you this morning.
09:58Absolutely fun to be here, right?
09:59You said coaching search.
10:00Ten!
10:01There were ten job openings in the NFL.
10:03I think since last year, over half, over half of the head coach in the NFL will now be replaced.
10:09It's unbelievable.
10:10It seems like, oh, look at this.
10:11Well, Liam Cohen did a quick turnaround in Jacksonville.
10:13We can find our Liam Cohen.
10:15We'll see how that turns out.
10:15But one of the biggest jobs left open, George, is the Buffalo Bills.
10:20When Arumo is getting a request here, Brian Dable.
10:22I was surprised they let go of McDermott.
10:24How do you figure that coaching search turns out?
10:27Offense, defense, what do you think in there?
10:30I don't think I was surprised they let go of McDermott.
10:32Not that I think he so much needed to go here.
10:35I think it's more of a thing where he can only get you so far, right?
10:38He just couldn't get over that hump.
10:39They gave him, what, nine tries, whatever it might be.
10:41Can't do it.
10:42Fan base is going ballistic here, as we know, with our own Gabe Marenzi.
10:46Not very happy.
10:47So they moved on here.
10:48My biggest shock, Donnie, was how does Billy Bean not go with him?
10:52All right.
10:53I just found this weird.
10:54Billy Bean failed up, right?
10:56He got promoters.
10:56He actually failed up.
10:57I think it was more his fault than it was McDermott's fault for not getting there.
11:01I know we were talking during the break.
11:03We've heard that Brian Dable is one of the favorites there.
11:06Another guy who would fail up, right?
11:07He didn't do all that well with the Giants there.
11:10I mean, I understand not the same team there, but Dable, this past year with the Giants,
11:15he looked like a chicken with his head chopped off at times, right?
11:17He was just a deer in the headlights on the sideline there.
11:20I guess it was a dead man walking.
11:21He knew he was going to get chopped eventually.
11:23But he did some strange things running into the blue tent when Dart was in there for the
11:26concussion protocol there.
11:28I think it's going to be Dable because of his relationship with Josh Allen or Joe Brady.
11:32I think Brady could be the guy as well here.
11:35I don't think they want to lose Brady from what we're hearing.
11:38I think if they took the Brady, hey, if we bring in Dable, we used to be the OC.
11:42If Brady says yes, makes Dable a better shot.
11:45If Brady says, no, I'm out of here.
11:46I'm not working with Dable.
11:47I want to do my own thing someplace else because Dable might call his own plays.
11:51Then I think Brady would have a better chance of getting the head coaching job there.
11:54But I think it will be an offensive guy, one of those two.
11:57It's funny.
12:00I thought McDaniel would get another job, without a doubt, head coaching if he wanted.
12:06But it's interesting that he chose the OC spot with the Chargers and Harbaugh.
12:11I think it's a great hire by Harbaugh.
12:14I don't know how he convinced him to do it.
12:16But him having Justin Herbert to navigate, I think that's a great move for Harbaugh and
12:23the Chargers.
12:25Yeah, you know, we've seen this all throughout the years, right?
12:27The decades of the NFL.
12:28Some guys are meant to be more coordinators than they are head coaches.
12:31And I do wonder if McDaniel's that guy.
12:33You think of Noah Turner or someone, or Wade Phillips, or someone who's a better DC than
12:37a head coach.
12:38I do wonder if McDaniel's that same sort of thing.
12:40This could also be a rehabilitation.
12:42You go to the Chargers.
12:43The Eagles wanted him, right?
12:44The Commanders wanted him.
12:45A lot of teams wanted him for their OC.
12:47You go to the Chargers.
12:48You be his OC for, you know, whatever, a year or two.
12:51Rehabilitate your image.
12:52Things go well there.
12:52You score a million points.
12:54And then you go back to the head coaching cycles.
12:56I don't think it'll be 10 again next year, but we know every year, six to eight head
13:00coaches get replaced.
13:01So maybe you need to wait two years, but that will give you another chance in a couple of
13:04seasons.
13:05Yeah.
13:06It'll be interesting to see how that turns out.
13:07I think it's a great landing spot for him.
13:08And also understand this.
13:09Well, why would he go there?
13:10Harbaugh is going to want to run.
13:11Get run fits have been fantastic in Miami.
13:13I think it's going to fit like a glove out there.
13:15Should be fun to watch, but let's get to the action this weekend, George.
13:17And we'll start the AFC.
13:19That's a three o'clock game on Sunday.
13:21Drake May and Jared Stidham, not Bo Nix, because he did fracture, broke a bone in his ankle.
13:25He's out.
13:26This line's been going four and a half to five and a half all week long.
13:29So I'll start here with you, George.
13:31How do we feel about this game now that Stidham's the starting quarterback, as opposed to Bo Nix
13:34and to the Denver Broncos have a legitimate chance to still win this game?
13:40Yeah.
13:40I'm just checking here to make sure it's still at five and a half.
13:42I think it's going to climb, by the way.
13:43I think by the time we get to Sunday, it'll be six.
13:45Just a guess here.
13:47Listen, we could say all the things we want here.
13:50Oh, Sean Payton, he'll coach.
13:52He's one of the best quarterback.
13:53He'll coach up Stidham in six days.
13:55Come on.
13:56I mean, come on.
13:57I think in some ways they're kind of lucky that New England, they've struggled on offense
14:01themselves, right?
14:01Drake May has played okay, but certainly not great here.
14:04I think the Denver defense is going to keep this close for a bit, maybe a half, maybe
14:08a half plus, but eventually New England's going to pull away.
14:11I think that's sort of what we saw in the Houston and New England game, where all those
14:14mistakes by Stroud just eventually Houston, they couldn't, they just couldn't hold the
14:18weight anymore.
14:18And that was it.
14:19The game was over.
14:20I think the same thing here.
14:21I said, I'm on New England here.
14:23I'll, I play at the four and a half, certainly playing the five and a half here.
14:25I'm going to have a gazillion parlays with New England and whatever NHL is going on,
14:30whether it's a Saturday NHL game, the Sunday NHL games, or even Monday.
14:33So I think New England's going to win the game.
14:35I think in the end, it's going to be fairly easily.
14:36I think, unfortunately, they're going to the Super Bowl as maybe I don't want to see the
14:40Patriots again, but I don't see the Broncos being able to survive.
14:42I have no Bo Nix might've felt differently if he was playing, but he's not.
14:46Instead of going, I mean, come on, it's a backup quarterback.
14:48I don't see this going well.
14:51What about Seattle and the Rams sitting at just under a field goal here?
14:57You know, what are we seeing from Seattle lately, right?
14:59Ever since that disaster from Don with the fort, they're protecting him.
15:03All right.
15:03Then he barely had to play, uh, what Sunday against the Niners, right?
15:07That was Sunday night.
15:07That was a disaster.
15:08We knew it was going to be, uh, and they took very business because Seattle's defense is
15:12that good.
15:12I don't think Seattle's defense is Houston's defense, but it's pretty damn close here.
15:16Now the Rams, they've won, but Stafford hasn't looked all that good.
15:20Granted, it was whatever it was in Chicago, six degrees.
15:23It was cold.
15:23That's going to affect their, uh, anybody there.
15:25They're going to need to score points here.
15:27They're going to need to be that stay, uh, that Stafford, that the MVP consider it.
15:30Right?
15:30So I think we'll get more of that, but I don't think we'll get a 70 point ball game
15:34like we saw earlier in the season between these two teams.
15:36These are going to be more in the mid forties here.
15:38I do like Seattle to, uh, sort of be a repeat of whatever Super Bowl that was, Seattle and
15:43New England.
15:43I think they win the game.
15:45I said, I think it's going to be a heavy, heavy Kenny Walker run game again here.
15:48No Zach Sharper.
15:49He's got the ACL tear there.
15:51So I think they're going to want to get protect Donald.
15:53We're not going to lose unless Donald loses it for us.
15:56You know, unless he's throwing two, three at the center there.
15:58So I like Seattle to win the game.
16:00Yeah.
16:00Seattle, New England Super Bowl.
16:02Let me ask you a question on that game too, because, you know, Joe and I talk about it all
16:05the time.
16:05We don't ever worry about Matthew Stafford.
16:06He can play poorly, but the expectations, we think he rises to the occasion with Sam
16:10Darnold, understand that he can play well, but also will he be limited with that oblique
16:15injury or do you have any worries about handicapping that edge this week, George with Seattle?
16:20If he has a true oblique, that's not going to heal in a week, right?
16:23That'll still be there.
16:24An oblique is four to six weeks.
16:26And that's being nice if you have a big one.
16:28So yeah, I think he will be limited.
16:30Assuming the injury was a legit oblique and then I just, uh, blowing smoke here.
16:34They'll shoot him up, though.
16:35He'll, he's playing, no doubt about that.
16:37But I do wonder about that.
16:38That's another reason why they don't want to shoot out.
16:40They want to kill as much clock as they can here.
16:42And they don't want Sam Darnold throwing the ball 40 times.
16:44Scoring first would be imperative for Seattle.
16:46It's great stuff here.
16:47That's George Kearse rising, grinding with us right here on the early line.
16:51Getting you ready for AFC-NFC Championship Weekend.
16:53Thanks, George.
16:54You're myself with Joe Ranieri.
16:55We'll be right back here for this short break.
16:58Predictive markets and the early line.
17:00It's a match made in heaven.
17:01You ever see some of those memes out there where, what was it, like Arnold Schwarzenegger
17:04and Apollo Creed, you know, doing that flex into the elbows there.
17:08That's what it feels like, Joe.
17:09The energy is always high when we hit these predictive markets.
17:12And we don't even like to waste any time on this.
17:13You know where a good predictive market is right now?
17:15It's in Las Vegas for their next head coach, the favorite in the clubhouse, Joe.
17:19It's Clint Kubiak at 38%, followed by Davis Webb at 26%.
17:23Also, did you know that Jesse Minter's been brought back a second time to have an interview
17:28with the Raiders?
17:29He's now listed at 20%.
17:31Offense.
17:32You need to go offense if you have the number one pick and you're picking Mendoza.
17:38Clint Kubiak, seems like it might be the right fit for him out there.
17:41Joe, what do you think?
17:42I don't think the Raiders or Arizona, I don't think they're a right fit for anybody.
17:49I think you've got to be very, very careful.
17:52Although, I'll say this.
17:53It would appear that they have more younger pieces defensively than they do offensively
18:00right now.
18:00They're going to have a young quarterback, you know, with the number one draft pick there
18:04in Mendoza likely coming in.
18:06And so, I think in order to stay afloat there, I think the defense first is probably not a
18:13bad way to look.
18:15But listen, you've got to start somewhere, right?
18:18But it wouldn't shock me.
18:19How many coaches have the Raiders had over the last five years now?
18:23Yeah, it's ugly.
18:24Where's Passaccia when you need them at this point?
18:26And by the way, if you look, top three guys, Joe, Kubiak, Webb, and Minter.
18:32Number four on that list at 10%, it's Sean McDermott.
18:35If I'm not going offense here, that could be a grand slam hire because sometimes, Joe,
18:40you're just looking for stability.
18:42Like the Giants, looking for stability.
18:44Got a stable guy.
18:45McDermott can bring that stability in there to see what happens.
18:48But Clint Kubiak right now is the favorite in the building, or at least in the favorite
18:51in the odds market.
18:53AFC Championship game, 3 o'clock, Sunday afternoon, Mile High Stadium.
18:59Yeah, I'm still going to call it Mile High Stadium because it is the Mile High City.
19:02You take a look at this number, Joe.
19:04Four and a half at the opener, up to five and a half.
19:06It's been bouncing back, four and a half to five and a half.
19:09We just talked to George Kurtz, and he says he probably thinks this line is going to continue
19:12to increase as the week goes on.
19:15Jared Stidham is the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, not Bo Nix.
19:18Drake May, he will be the starter for the New England Patriots, but also not playing great
19:22football and certainly seems turnover prone as of late.
19:25The total in this game is up, Joe, from 40 and a half at the opening number to 42 and a
19:30half.
19:30But weather conditions are getting colder by the day.
19:34We were talking earlier in the week, somewhere in the mid-40s, now into the low-40s.
19:38Now we're seeing this into the 30s and into the 20s.
19:41A cold day expected in the Mile High City, Joe.
19:44Yeah, it's going to be.
19:46And keep an eye on the weather, Donnie.
19:49We talked about this in our Spreadline segment last hour, that it can change in a heartbeat.
19:56We're not talking about dome teams here.
19:59We're talking about two parts of the country here where the weather can change on a dime,
20:03especially with Denver.
20:05So keep an eye on that.
20:07I think you'll start to see the total adjust.
20:09But, you know, I disagree with George because I don't think we're getting anywhere near a
20:17touchdown when this is all said and done.
20:19I don't think we're going to see six and a halves at all.
20:23I don't think we'll ever see a seven.
20:25And if we, by some miraculous chance, happen to, Donnie, it's going to be bent back down in
20:31a heartbeat here.
20:32I mean, we're not talking about a Jared Stidham backup quarterback that is first year with
20:38his head coach or has absolutely no experience ever starting a game in the end.
20:43That's not what we're dealing with here.
20:46I know it's easy to just discount this team.
20:50But remember, they're a number one seed.
20:52They also have rest advantage here, Donnie.
20:55Let's not forget that.
20:56They played on Saturday.
20:57New England played on Sunday.
20:59That matters in these spots.
21:01So, you know, teams that have the number one seed have extra rest and had to play one
21:07less game.
21:08I wouldn't be just sticking a fork in Denver right off the bat here.
21:12I think they're very much a live dog.
21:15And if they don't win, they are still very capable of covering this line.
21:20It's a good point you bring up, Joe, because I look at this game and I say to myself, there's
21:24no chance the Denver Broncos win a Super Bowl with Jared Stidham.
21:27It's not going to happen.
21:28But that doesn't mean that the Denver Broncos at home in the AFC Championship game can't
21:33be competitive enough to stay within a touchdown and or just win the game outright.
21:37Completely different story.
21:39Neutral field.
21:40Stidham going up against the Rams and or the Seattle Seahawks.
21:43I don't think that ends there.
21:44But I do think there's a fact that they can keep close in this game.
21:47Let me answer this question, too.
21:48Because we're now going to hear, and rightfully so from the Denver organization, how good Jared
21:53Stidham is, how he's ready for the big moment.
21:55And you try to shut that noise out and be an honest handicapper on what you think you
21:59can get out of Stidham.
22:00The one thing I do know is Sean Payton loves to pass the football.
22:03He's not just going to change his stripes and run the football 45 times in this game.
22:07So the question for me, Joe, can he get his passing prop number, which is around the 190
22:12price point?
22:14Well, yeah.
22:15I mean, what you also need to know about this Broncos team is they have the number, I believe,
22:21number three best offensive line when it comes to protecting the quarterback.
22:25I mean, Bo Nix wasn't under any duress at all in that game against Buffalo in any way,
22:32shape or form.
22:33Jared Stidham is not going to be under duress in any way, shape or form in this game.
22:39And let's not forget, it's not like Sean Payton is a stranger to having backup quarterbacks
22:44in a game plan for him.
22:45Don't forget, he had this already happened with Jared Stidham for two games in 2023.
22:50I don't like the running game of Denver.
22:53But to your point, Donnie, the guy that's going to pass the most likely in this game is
22:58Jared Stidham.
22:58I think is over 18 and a half, I think, is what his completion prop is.
23:04I like over his yardage.
23:06It's quick reads.
23:07Get the ball out of your hand and let your playmakers make some plays.
23:11And they've got a lot of those on the outside.
23:14Backup quarterbacks, Joe, throughout the season, when you're backing up a guy like Bo Nix, you're
23:18taking no snaps.
23:19You get like one snap a week.
23:20You're going to run some scout team.
23:21You're going to be in the quarterback room, try to understand the game plan.
23:24And sometimes we take a look at things differently.
23:26If Stidham was thrown into a game in the second quarter because Bo Nix broke his ankle, that's
23:30a completely different scenario.
23:32He's coming in cold.
23:33This entire game plan this week from Sean Payton is going to cater around what Stidham
23:37wants to do and what he's comfortable with.
23:39That does make a big deal, but we'll see where this line certainly comes out.
23:42Drake made the better quarterback absolutely in this game.
23:44Still hard to win football games on the road in elevation and freezing cold temperatures.
23:49We'll see how that one plays out.
23:50Let's flip it over to the NFC, Joe, the Rams and the Seattle Seahawks.
23:54This line opened up under a field goal, still staying under a field goal.
23:58I want to start with you here first.
24:00Do we think again that this line is going to stay two and a half throughout the week, closer
24:04to two by the end of the week, or even Joe getting to a three line by the time we get
24:08to game time?
24:10Well, I think what we've already seen is that because this was three early Monday and then
24:16it settled in at two and a half and we haven't sniffed at three since.
24:20And that's because, Donnie, as soon as it gets to the key number of three, you're going
24:24to have the other side betting it back down to two and a half.
24:27So I think that's exactly what you're going to see here.
24:30I would not be shocked as the week progresses.
24:33And again, when the limits increase this time of the week, you know, and the bigger bets
24:38can start to roll in here.
24:40It wouldn't shock me if the bigger bets start to come in on the Rams.
24:44And again, the Rams, maybe this gets down to two, one and a half, but I don't know that
24:50this is going to land three.
24:52I think two and a half is where it will be.
24:54I certainly don't think you're going to get the hook in any way, shape or form here at
24:59three and a half prior to kick.
25:01And I still think it ultimately comes down to nobody knows these two teams know each other
25:05very, very well.
25:06Both games were within a, you know, one score field goal, essentially, ultimately, it's
25:13going to have to come down to which team offensively do we trust to make a big play in the big
25:18moment?
25:19Is it Stafford or is it Sam Darnold?
25:21And that to me will decide who you're betting in this game.
25:25You're right.
25:25And also you take a look at Sam Darnold's passing prop number, Joe, listed at 235 and a
25:30half.
25:30We saw it around that similar number last week and it tanked close to game time because we
25:34weren't sure what we're going to get out of him with that injury.
25:36Now granted in that game, it was a blowout.
25:38He didn't have to throw a lot, but if you're expecting the Seattle Seahawks to win this
25:40football game, you're going to need an effort out of Sam Darnold.
25:43This can't be one of those games where you'd say, all right, I lean on my defense.
25:46Maybe you can, but Matthew Stafford has an elite level weaponry that he can come after that
25:51defense with.
25:52And again, we talked about the weather conditions in Denver, not nearly as bad here in the Pacific
25:56Northwest where one degree mile per hour winds.
25:59That is absolutely nothing at this point.
26:00I'm interested to see what actually happens in this game with Sam Darnold because I need to see
26:05the practice reports.
26:06If I'm getting limited efforts at a Darnold this week, I'm worried about that.
26:11If I get full practice right away on a Wednesday, Joe, that could tilt the scales in my favor.
26:15If I want to take Seattle.
26:16Are you ready for the possibility of there being a Jared Stidham versus Drew Locke Super Bowl?
26:26Because that could very much be on the table here, folks.
26:30It could be Denver and Seattle, sure.
26:33But it could be Seattle with Drew Locke, the backup quarterback, as opposed to Sam Darnold.
26:39So this is going to be very interesting.
26:42The one thing I can tell you, interestingly enough, is that it feels like we got four teams
26:47left, Donnie.
26:48It feels like four of the best defenses this season, at least top five, top 10 remain.
26:55And I think that's a pretty good key indicator on what it takes.
27:00You can't just have all offense.
27:02You better have a top 10 defense and all four of these teams do.
27:06Taking a look at the totals, Joe, if we take a look at the first game, New England and Denver,
27:10that's listed, let's call it 42 and a half.
27:12Game number two, Rams and Seattle, 47 and a half.
27:15Am I wrong for thinking right now that New England and Denver's 42 and a half is a better
27:19chance to go over than Seattle, Los Angeles, until we see those practice reports from Sam
27:24Darnold?
27:24It feels like that game, 47 and a half is a lot.
27:26That's a key number going through the 47.
27:28I'm actually looking more at that New England game, Joe, than I am the second one.
27:32Yeah, I agree.
27:33I mean, listen, could I see Seattle and the Rams playing, you know, to 50 or more points?
27:38Absolutely, I can.
27:39But I can certainly see mid-40s, you know, 24-20 type of situation with the Rams, with
27:48New England and Denver, rather.
27:50I think that's very much in the play here.
27:54Yeah, it's going to be fun to see, again, it play out a couple more days to go.
27:57But Wednesday is that first official practice day after the Tuesday layoff, then you have
28:00Thursday and Friday before you get ready for the weekend.
28:02We'll keep an eye on these weather forecasts, but more importantly, some of these injury reports
28:07that you're going to need to know.
28:08I'll see you then.
28:09So yeah.